If you think the NCAA Woman of the Year is just a "Heisman for women," you're actually missing the whole point. Honestly, it's way more intense than that. While most big-name sports awards focus almost exclusively on box scores and highlight reels, this one is a different beast. It’s a massive, multi-layered puzzle where being a superstar athlete is just the entry fee.
In late 2025, the NCAA announced that Sam Schott, a standout softball player from the University of Texas at Tyler, took home the top honor. She didn't just win because she could hit a softball—though a .327 career average and two Lone Star Conference Golden Glove awards certainly helped. She won because she managed to balance the grueling schedule of a Division II athlete with a 4.0 GPA in biology, eventually landing her a spot in the UT Tyler School of Medicine Class of 2029.
That's the level we're talking about here.
The Myth of the "Best Athlete"
Most people assume the winner is always the Division I superstar who gets the most airtime on ESPN. That's a huge misconception. In fact, the 2024 winner, Alexandra Turvey, came from Pomona-Pitzer, a Division III school. She was a 21-time All-American swimmer, sure, but she was also a biology major with a near-perfect academic record.
The selection committee uses a specific scoring breakdown that would make most students sweat:
- Academic Achievement: 30%
- Athletics Excellence: 30%
- Service and Leadership: 30%
- Personal Statement: 10%
It’s basically a three-way tie between your brain, your body, and your heart. If you slack in the community service department, you're out. If your GPA dips below a certain threshold, those national championships won't save you.
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How Sam Schott Broke the Mold
Sam Schott’s journey is kind of wild when you look at the stats. She became only the fifth Division II athlete ever to win the award since it started in 1991. For years, people felt like you had to be a D1 powerhouse to even stand a chance. Schott proved that the committee actually sticks to their rubric.
What really set her apart wasn't just the Elite 90 Award (which goes to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at a national championship site). It was her resilience. Her coaches and teammates talk about her being the "first one in, last one out" type. But it goes deeper. Her mother, Renea, often mentions how Sam’s empathy was shaped early on by helping her younger brother, Zachary, who has autism, with his speech therapy and flashcards.
That kind of background translates into a specific type of leadership. It’s not just shouting in a huddle. It’s about building a culture. At UT Tyler, Schott was the one leading team prayers and mentoring freshmen like Sam Garcia, who credited Schott with literally keeping her grounded during her first year on campus.
The Brutal Selection Process
You don't just "get" nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year. It’s a gauntlet.
- School Level: Each school picks their best.
- Conference Level: Conferences whittle those down. For the 2025 cycle, there were a record-breaking 631 nominees.
- The Top 30: This is the big milestone. The committee picks 10 women from each division (DI, DII, DIII).
- The Top 9: Three finalists from each division.
- The Winner: One woman to rule them all.
The 2025 Top 30 list was a masterclass in overachievement. You had women like Isabella Whittaker (Track & Field, UPenn) and Natasha Subhash (Tennis, Virginia) rubbing shoulders with DIII powerhouses like Mackenzie Coley, a three-time national champion in volleyball from Juniata College.
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It’s a weirdly diverse list. You’ll see javelin throwers, equestrians, and cross-country skiers. In 2025, the honorees represented 14 different championship sports and even "emerging sports" like triathlon.
Why Title IX Still Matters Here
This award was established in 1991, rooted deeply in the spirit of Title IX. It was designed to celebrate the "complete" woman athlete at a time when women's sports were still fighting for basic visibility.
Back then, the process was different—they used to pick a winner from every state. Now, it's more of a national "best of the best" hunt. But the core remains: it’s about proving that women don't have to choose between being an elite competitor and a scholar.
What the Committee Looks for in Service
This isn't just about "volunteering at a soup kitchen once." The 2025 finalists had resumes that looked like NGO applications.
- Some launched mental health campaigns for athletes (like "The Hidden Opponent").
- Others traveled to Africa to expand education access through sport.
- Many were TA’s or researchers presenting at national conferences.
Basically, if you aren't busy 24/7, you're probably not in the running.
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The Real Value of the Award
Is it just a trophy? Not really. Many of these women, including Sam Schott, are recipients of NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. It’s a financial bridge to medical school, law school, or Ph.D. programs.
For someone like Schott, who is currently navigating the intense world of medical school, the award is a testament to a specific kind of "inner self-drive." It’s a signal to the world that these women can handle high-pressure environments, whether that’s a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the seventh or a surgical rotation.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Nominees
If you’re a student-athlete (or the parent of one) eyeing this path, you need to start early. You can't "cram" for the NCAA Woman of the Year.
- Protect the GPA early: The academic score is 30% of the total. A 3.9 is the gold standard.
- Diversify your leadership: Don't just be the captain of your team. Join SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) or lead a campus-wide initiative.
- Document everything: Keep a log of every hour of community service and every minor academic award.
- The Personal Statement is a tie-breaker: Use those 500 words to tell a story that isn't on your resume. Focus on "impact," not just "participation."
The NCAA Woman of the Year isn't just about who won the game. It’s about who used the game to become someone better. It’s about the Sam Schotts of the world who prove that you can be a national champion and a future doctor without sacrificing your character along the way.
Next Steps:
- Review the Eligibility: Ensure you will have earned a varsity letter and your undergraduate degree by the summer of your nomination year.
- Consult your SWA: Speak with your school's Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) about the internal nomination process, as schools are limited in how many athletes they can put forward.
- Draft the Statement: Start reflecting on your "why"—how has being a student-athlete specifically empowered you to impact others? This narrative is the soul of the application.