Louisville butterfly star Kelsi Worrell has been nominated for the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Worrell majored in exercise science, earning a strong GPA of 3.58 at Louisville. Worrell has been named to the Louisville AD’s Athletic Honor Roll every semester at Louisville.
In addition to her hard work in the classroom, Worrell is an exceptional athlete– she is the American record holder in the 100 yard butterfly, an event in which she won the NCAA title in her last two years at Louisville. She also won back-to-back title in the 200 fly at NCAAs in her junior and senior seasons. Worrell was the key leg to four of Louisville’s five relays the last two years, helping them to competitive finishes at the NCAA Champs, especially in the last two years.
Worrell is a clear favorite, along with 2012 Olympic Champion Dana Vollmer, to represent the United States in the 2016 Olympics in the 100 meter butterfly. She’s the third-fastest 100 meter butterflier in American history, and should move up to at least #2 this summer.
Each NCAA member is able to nominate one female student-athlete who has completed their eligibility to the conference level, and then each conference office reviews and submits its nominee to the NCAA. The NCAA then narrows the field to a Top 30 (10 from each of the NCAAs three divisions), and then to a top 9 (3 from each of the NCAAs three divisions). A winner is announced at the NCAA Woman of the Year awards dinner each fall.
The award is given based on criteria of academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership.
Clarion University diver Kristin Day was the 2015 recipient of the honor. The award have been won by swimming & diving athletes 11 times since it began in 1991, more than any other sport.
Past winners of the award:
