91²Ö¿â track and field’s has been named one of the Mid-American Conference’s two nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the NCAA announced on Aug. 1.
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.
Thomas-Dodd is one of 145 female student-athletes that have been nominated by conferences and an independent selection committee for consideration for the award.
In early September, the Woman of the Year selection committee will name the Top 30 honorees, which include 10 women from each division. At the end of September, the selection committee will select and announce nine finalists, with three from each division. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will select the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those finalists.
The Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named at the annual banquet Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.
Thomas-Dodd was one of 10 semifinalists for The Bowerman award, which is awarded to the most outstanding track and field student-athlete each season, after capturing the shot put national title at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. After placing second during this past indoor season and at the 2014 outdoor championships, Thomas-Dodd finally earned the distinction of being a in dominant fashion, as all six of her throws were good enough to win the competition. She finished her career as a 10-time All-American with four top-5 national finishes. Thomas-Dodd was recognized as the 2017 Great Lakes Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, and she competed for Jamaica at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A 2016 graduate who earned a degree in physical education and was enrolled in 91²Ö¿â’s sport and recreation management graduate program, Thomas-Dodd was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® First Team in June. She also was a four-time MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, a four-time Academic All-MAC honoree and a one-time MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honoree.
Earlier this spring, Thomas-Dodd received the Janet Bachna Award, which is presented to the 91²Ö¿â senior female student-athlete who displays athletic, academic and leadership excellence.
The 91²Ö¿â track and field program now boasts MAC nominees in back-to-back years, as eight-time All-American