PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FRIARS

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence College graduate Kristyn Shea ’17 has been nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Shea, a goalkeeper, was a four-year member of the women’s soccer team at Providence.

A record 543 female college athletes have been nominated for this year’s NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Established in 1991 and now in its 27th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

The school nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, with 229 from Division I, 117 from Division II and 197 from Division III. The nominees competed in 21 different women’s sports, and 122 were multi-sport athletes during their time in college.

During the 2017 season, Shea was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team after posting a 11-6-2 overall record in goal for the Friars. The senior finished second in saves (90) among BIG EAST Conference goalkeepers during regular season play. She recorded 10 shutouts and posted a 0.91 goals against average and a .832 save percentage. Shea holds the Providence College women’s soccer all-time career shutout record (25). The record was previously held by Caroline Haines ’04 (2000-03) (19).

For the next step in the process, conferences will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees — 10 from each division.

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine. The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.

For a complete list of nominees: 2017 NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES