UVA’s Courtney Bartholomew Nominated for 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year

Virginia backstroker Courtney Bartholomew has been nominated for the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Bartholomew made the ACC Academic Honor Roll all four years at UVA, and was named to the ACC All-Academic Team in her final three years. She also earned CSCAA Scholar All-American honors as a sophomore.

The 2013 ACC Freshman of the Year, Bartholomew would go on to set UVA and ACC records in the 100 and 200 backstrokes in her time with UVA. She went a perfect 8-for-8 in terms of ACC titles in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, an impressive feat, and has earned 19 All-American honors.

At the end of 2015 at the Duel in the Pool, Bartholomew set the 100 back American and U.S. Open record in SCM, while teaming up to break the SCM world record in the women’s 400 medley relay. She announced her retirement after her final race of the 2016 NCAAs, where she touched 2nd in the 200 back.

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: