Cassie Wait nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year award

Cassie Wait is one of seven Big 12 student-athletes nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Wait’s list of 2016-17 accomplishments already include a Big 12 championship, Big 12 Libero of the Year, AVCA All-America and KC Sports Commission Sportswoman of the Year.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Kansas volleyball standout libero Cassie Wait has been nominated by KU Athletics for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the NCAA announced on Tuesday.

Wait recently finished her first academic year in KU’s School of Law after completing one of the most successful careers in Kansas volleyball history. In 2016, the three-year starter at libero led the Jayhawks to their first-ever conference title, earning AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, Big 12 Libero of the Year and Kansas City Sports Commission Sportswoman of the Year honors along the way.

This year marks the 27th year of the Woman of the Year Award program, which was established in 1991. Among the record 543 nominees, 229 compete at the Division I level, seven hail from the Big 12 Conference, 76 play volleyball and 32 play volleyball at the Division I level.

The Gardner, Kansas native graduated with a business degree in three years in May 2016 with a 3.90 GPA before enrolling in law school. Wait is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree and member of the University of Kansas Honors Program.

Wait played an integral role in leading Kansas to its first-ever Final Four appearance in 2015 and first-ever Big 12 Conference title in 2016. She helped usher in an era of unprecedented success for Kansas, finishing her career 104 victories and the program’s best four-year winning percentage (.819). During her senior season, Wait led the Big 12 in digs per set (5.10) and finished second in career digs at Kansas (1,958).

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 NCAA encourages member schools to honor their top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award.

In the next step of the selection 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.

CASSIE WAIT 2016-17 HONORS

NCAA Woman of the Year – KU nominee
KC Sports Commission Sportswoman of the Year
Big 12 Libero of the Year
Big 12 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
AVCA All-America Honorable Mention
All-Big 12 First Team
AVCA All-Midwest Region
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 5, Sept. 12, Oct. 17)

Big 12 Conference – NCAA Woman of the Year nominees 

Katie Brand, K-State (Volleyball)
Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia (Soccer)
Jennifer Carmichael, Oklahoma (Outdoor Track & Field)
Courtney Dike, Oklahoma State (Soccer)
Gia Doonan, Texas (Rowing)
Blair Shankle, Baylor (Tennis)
CASSIE WAIT, KANSAS (Volleyball)

Division I Volleyball – NCAA Woman of the Year nominees

Fayette Adelaja, Purdue
Phylecia Armstrong, Bethune-Cookman
Laura Beach, Wyoming
Katie Brand, Kansas State
Lauren Carlini, Wisconsin
Arden Davis, UC Irvine
Aubrey Edie, Mississippi
Margaret Eppright, Fresno State
Amy Henard, North Texas
Scottie Ingram, Murray State
Carly Kan, Missouri
Grace Kauth, Cleveland State
Lindsey Larson, UTEP
Laura Larson, Arizona
Laini Leindecker, Albany
Megan O’Sullivan, Fairfield
Jenna Potts, Pittsburgh
Meredith Przybocki, Saint Peter’s
Carly Riehl, UNLV
Krystal Rivers, Alabama
Kadie Rolfzen, Nebraska
Lauren Schad, San Diego
Markie Schaedig, Arkansas State
Layne Self, Rhode Island
Amanda Sifferlen, Holy Cross
Lauren Smith, Creighton
BreeAnn Spangler, Indiana State
Jennifer Tait, Campbell
Nikki Taylor, Hawaii
Teegan Van Gunst, Georgia Tech
CASSIE WAIT, KANSAS
Allie Yamashiro, Manhattan

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