Salisbury's Sue Ackermann named a finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year
INDIANAPOLIS - Salisbury University women's lacrosse standout Sue Ackermann has been named one of nine finalists for the 18th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award. The honor recognizes outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics, community service and leadership and have completed their collegiate athletics eligibility.
A committee composed of representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences chose the top 30 honorees (10 from each NCAA division) from 130 conference and independent honorees. On Wednesday the committee released its nine student-athlete finalists. This is the first time in Salisbury University history a student-athlete was selected as a finalist or top 30 honoree.
"I am so honored to be in the top nine for this award. I was excited just to make the top 30 and definitely never expected to be considered as a finalist," said Ackermann. "A lot of credit goes out to the successful women's lacrosse program that Coach Jim Nestor has built. I would also like to thank the University for giving me the opportunities I had during my collegiate career."
Ackermann is one of only three Division III student-athletes in
the running for the award. The Sykesville, Md., native recently
graduated from Salisbury with a bachelor's degree in Exercise
Science, with minors in Marketing Management and Business
Administration. She is the SU women's lacrosse graduate assistant
as she works on her master's degree.
"This honor and recognition for Sue is a clear endorsement to people outside of Salisbury University of what we have known for some time and that is Sue truly belongs with the best of the best," said SU Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Michael Vienna. "Salisbury University is extremely proud of Sue and her accomplishments and how she has represented our school and athletics program. We are fortunate to have been able to have her as part of our institution where she been the model student-athlete."
The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose a national winner from among the remaining nine finalists and name the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year during the awards dinner October 19, 2008 at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. An hour-long broadcast of the event will air on ESPN2 at 4:30 p.m. December 5.
"It is such an honor for Sue and the University with her being named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award," said Nestor. "She is a wonderful and true student-athlete."
Ackermann led the nation in scoring with 82 goals and 70 assists
for 152 points, the second-highest single-season total in Division
III history. A member of the Phi Epsilon Kappa Physical Education
honors fraternity, Ackermann was the 2008 Scholar-Athlete Award
recipient at Salisbury and the 2008 Capital Athletic Conference
Player of the Year, for a second year in a row. A first-team
All-American in 2007 and 2008, Ackermann posted a GPA of 4.0 during
the spring of 2008 and has a near perfect cumulative GPA. She
finished the '08 season two points shy of tying the all-time NCAA
record for points in a single-season (154, set in 1996). The
two-time All-CAC first team attacker graduates as the all-time SU
leader in points (321) and assists (149). She is second all-time in
goals (172). After the completion of the season she was named the
2007-08 College Division At-Large Academic All-America of the Year,
and finished third overall for the Academic All-America of the
Year. She was also selected as the 2008 IWLCA Scholar-Athlete of
the Year and the CAC Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She is
one of 29 student-athletes to receive a NCAA postgraduate
scholarship.
The 2007 Woman of the Year was awarded to University of Arizona swimmer Whitney Myers. Only one Division III student-athlete has ever won the NCAA Woman of the Year since it first started in 1991.
The other finalists include:
Nkolika Anosike, Tennessee (basketball),Southeastern Conference
Jennifer Artichuk, Delta State (swimming and diving),
Independent
Shanti Freitas, Smith (swimming and diving), New England Women's
and Men's Athletic Conference
Arianna Lambie, Stanford (cross country, track and field),
Pacific-10 Conference
Samantha Mitchell, Mount Olive (volleyball, track and field),
Conference Carolinas
Lindsey Ozimek, Charlotte (soccer), Atlantic 10 Conference
Sarah Schettle, Wisconsin-Oshkosh (track and field, cross country,
swimming), Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Heather Walker, Georgian Court (volleyball, softball), Central
Atlantic Collegiate Conference
NCAA Woman of the Year
2008 Awards and Honors for Sue Ackermann
Academic
- Finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year
- Top 30 selection for the NCAA Woman of the Year
- Capital Athletic Conference candidate for the NCAA Woman of the Year
- Finished third overall for College Division Academic All-America of the Year
- College Division At-Large Academic All-America of the Year
- Academic All-America first team
- Academic All-District first team
- IWLCA Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- CAC Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- SU Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- CAC All-Academic Team
- IWLCA Academic Honor Roll
- NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
- MACDA Post-Graduate Scholarship
- SU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member
Athletic
- IWLCA All-American first team
- IWLCA All-Chesapeake region first team
- IWLCA Senior All-Star selection
- Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year
- All-CAC first team
- Two-time CAC Athlete of the Week
- Inside Lacrosse Division III Athlete of the Year
- Inside Lacrosse All-American first team
- Second highest single-season point total (152) in NCAA women's lacrosse history
- Graduates as the all-time SU leader in points (321) and assists (149); second in goals (172)
- Senior co-captain
- NCAA All-Tournament Team
