INDIANAPOLIS - Former IUPUI volleyball standout
Kaitlyn Hickey has been nominated for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year and is one of four nominees from The Summit League up for the award.
The Granger, Ind.-native was a four-time All-Summit League selection and the league's 2015 Player of the Year. She collected back-to-back honorable mention AVCA All-America honors and was a two-time All-North Region selection. A versatile outside hitter, Hickey finished her career as the first player in both Summit League and IUPUI history to amass more than 1,500 career kills and 1,500 career digs. She graduated as IUPUI's all-time kills leader and ranked fourth in career digs.
"These last four years have enabled me to explore options for my future profession, succeed in competing for a challenging Division I athletics program, and build both personal and professional relationships that will last forever," Hickey said in part of her personal statement needed to apply for the award. "I've been able to invest in the sport by becoming a certified USA Volleyball official and head coach for a 13U travel team. It's important and rewarding for me to continue to give back to the sport which has given me so much."
The four pillars of the Woman of the Year award are academics, athletics, service and leadership. Hickey amassed a 3.59 grade point average while earning her degree in accounting and finance from the IU Kelley School of Business. She was a three-time Academic All-Summit League selection and had the opportunity to tryout for the USA Women's National Team in Colorado.
"It was such an honor to represent IUPUI amongst all of the top collegiate volleyball players and an incredible sight to combine players from different schools on the court to enjoy the game of volleyball at such a high level," Hickey said.
Hickey is one of 517 honorees and one of 231 from the Division I level.
Next, conferences assess their member school nominees and select up to two conference 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 from among those nine to determine the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 16 in Indianapolis.
