Northern Arizona diver Alexa Geiger was announced as one of a record 543 nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award on June 27. Geiger, one of 229 Division I female college athletes, is NAU’s nominee for the annual prestigious award.
The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers. NCAA member schools are encouraged to honor their top graduating female student-athlete each year by submitting their names for consideration for the award, established in 1991 and now in its 27th year.
Geiger participated in May’s commencement ceremonies, where she earned her degree in special and elementary education with a 3.81 cumulative grade point average. A four-time WAC All-Academic selection and Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award recipient, Geiger also received her third Honorable Mention Scholar All-American award from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America last week.
The recent graduate from Fullerton, Calif. wrapped up her athletic career as one of NAU’s most decorated divers this past season. Geiger totaled nine all-conference honors at the WAC Championships throughout her four-year career, with her best showing coming as a junior when she was named the WAC Diver of the Year following a pair of individual gold medals on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards. She proceeded to defend her 3-meter title in her final season to bring her career gold medal count to three, tied for second-most in program history among divers.
She was a four-year NCAA Zone Diving Championships qualifier and was the recipient of five WAC Diver of the Week awards. Geiger left with the fourth-highest score on 1-meter in program history and was part of a senior class that completed a perfect 4-for-4 WAC Championship career.
In addition to being part of NAU’s championship program both in the pool and in the classroom, Geiger was also an active member in Northern Arizona’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. As a senior, she served as the SAAC Co-President and was a leader and representative of all of the department’s student-athletes.
Geiger is one of five nominees from Big Sky Conference institutions, joining Christie Schiel (Montana State; cross country/track & field), Halli Krzyzaniak (North Dakota; ice hockey), Tyly Bozzuto (Southern Utah; gymnastics) and Ellie Child (Weber State; cross country/track & field).
Next, each conference will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees before the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee chooses the top 30 honorees – 10 from each division. The selection committee will then determine the top three honorees from each division with the announcement of the nine finalists coming in September. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will then select the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from the top nine.
The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced on Oct. 22 in Indianapolis at the annual award ceremony.
Press Release Courtesy of Northern Arizona Athletics.
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