TEMPE, Ariz. – The NCAA today announced that former Arizona State University student-athletes Sophie Brunner (basketball) and Kat Simonovic (swimming) are nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
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.
Brunner capped off her Sun Devil career by earning honorable mention recognition on the 2017 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America Team for the second consecutive season. One of two players in program history to be named All-Pac-12 first team three times, Brunner joins current Indiana Fever guard and new Sun Devil assistant coach Briann January as current Sun Devils in the WNBA. A starter in 117 of 128 career games, Brunner, who is currently a member of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, helped lead the Sun Devils to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. She had 20 points and nine boards in ASU's near upset of eventual national champion South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19. She concluded her Sun Devil career second on ASU's all-time list in career rebounds (921), third in points (1,405) and field goals (551), eighth in field goal percentage (.523) and ninth in free throws (288). Brunner's 177 career steals came 10 steals short of breaking into ASU's all-time top 10. Off the court Brunner was equally brilliant as she earned Pac-12 All-Academic recognition three times, including second-team honors this season, and earlier this year was in consideration for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors after being named to the CoSIDA All-District 8 Team. Brunner graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Educational Studies in 2017.
Simonovic represented Arizona State and her country (Serbia) at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 200 and 400 freestyle and earned CSCAA Scholar All-American honors from 2013-16. Owning eight of the top 10 spots in ASU's all-time 200 free records, she also holds two spots in the 100 free, and three in the 500 free, including the top time. Simonovic is also part of six top-five relay times in the ASU record book, including the fastest mark in the 200 free relay. The 2016-17 team captain earned Dean's List honors for four consecutive semesters, earned Pac-12 All-Academic accolades, and was named ASU Most Honorable Athlete of the Week in 2016. As a senior, she won the 200 free six times, as well as the 500 free and 100 fly. Outside of the pool, Simonovic spent a significant amount of time doing community service, also serving as a SAAC member from 2013-16. Her additional volunteer experience includes Relay for Life (2008-12), Christmas Angels Foundation (2012-15), the Children's Hospital (2013-16), and the St. Sava Orthodox Church Serbian Festival (2009-14), alongside multiple other outlets. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication and a minor in Film and Media Production in 2017 and was also a Barrett Honors College member during her time at ASU.
A record 543 female college athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools. The school nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, with 229 from Division I, 117 from Division II and 197 from Division III. The nominees competed in 21 different women's sports, and 122 were multisport athletes during their time in college.
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.
Next, 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.
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.
Brunner capped off her Sun Devil career by earning honorable mention recognition on the 2017 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America Team for the second consecutive season. One of two players in program history to be named All-Pac-12 first team three times, Brunner joins current Indiana Fever guard and new Sun Devil assistant coach Briann January as current Sun Devils in the WNBA. A starter in 117 of 128 career games, Brunner, who is currently a member of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, helped lead the Sun Devils to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. She had 20 points and nine boards in ASU's near upset of eventual national champion South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19. She concluded her Sun Devil career second on ASU's all-time list in career rebounds (921), third in points (1,405) and field goals (551), eighth in field goal percentage (.523) and ninth in free throws (288). Brunner's 177 career steals came 10 steals short of breaking into ASU's all-time top 10. Off the court Brunner was equally brilliant as she earned Pac-12 All-Academic recognition three times, including second-team honors this season, and earlier this year was in consideration for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors after being named to the CoSIDA All-District 8 Team. Brunner graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Educational Studies in 2017.
Simonovic represented Arizona State and her country (Serbia) at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 200 and 400 freestyle and earned CSCAA Scholar All-American honors from 2013-16. Owning eight of the top 10 spots in ASU's all-time 200 free records, she also holds two spots in the 100 free, and three in the 500 free, including the top time. Simonovic is also part of six top-five relay times in the ASU record book, including the fastest mark in the 200 free relay. The 2016-17 team captain earned Dean's List honors for four consecutive semesters, earned Pac-12 All-Academic accolades, and was named ASU Most Honorable Athlete of the Week in 2016. As a senior, she won the 200 free six times, as well as the 500 free and 100 fly. Outside of the pool, Simonovic spent a significant amount of time doing community service, also serving as a SAAC member from 2013-16. Her additional volunteer experience includes Relay for Life (2008-12), Christmas Angels Foundation (2012-15), the Children's Hospital (2013-16), and the St. Sava Orthodox Church Serbian Festival (2009-14), alongside multiple other outlets. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication and a minor in Film and Media Production in 2017 and was also a Barrett Honors College member during her time at ASU.
A record 543 female college athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools. The school nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, with 229 from Division I, 117 from Division II and 197 from Division III. The nominees competed in 21 different women's sports, and 122 were multisport athletes during their time in college.
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.
Next, 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.