Fans are encouraged to Tweet their congratulations with #WOTYBast!
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern All-American, Academic All-American and Big Ten Medal of Honor winner Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park) has been named one of nine finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, the organization announced today.
Three women from each of the NCAA's three divisions comprise the final nine, making Bast one of just three Division I finalists for the award. An initial list of 446 nominees was submitted from schools across the country when the process began in May. On Sept. 2, Bast was named to an initial list of 30 finalists representing 10 student-athletes from each NCAA Division.
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From Marisa Bast's Medal of Honor Ceremony
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Bast is the first Northwestern student-athlete to ever be named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The 2014 Woman of the Year will announced at an annual ceremony October 19 in Indianapolis.
The NCAA Woman of the Year Award is based on outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. A two-time Capital One Academic All-American in the classroom and an NFCA All-American on the field, Bast's resume shines brightest in community service and leadership.
As part of Northwestern's Undergraduate Leadership Certificate program, Bast created from the ground up an anti-bullying program for local schools called R.O.A.R.R. (Reach Out And Reinforce Respect). Not only was the program wildly successful under Bast's direction, but she created a sustainable model that will ensure its continued implementation in the coming years.
Bast graduated in June with a degree in Learning and Organizational Change and was recruited to work with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to enhance the body's operations.
In her personal statement for the award, Bast wrote: "I am humbled and grateful to be receiving one of the most prestigious educations in the country while simultaneously pursuing my passion on the softball field... I stepped foot on this campus with the goal of giving back and impacting those around me - my team and my community. Little did I know the lessons learned through those experiences would transfer to all avenues of life, enhancing me personally by encouraging me to radiate positivity and optimism and view each day as a Northwestern student-athlete as an opportunity to better myself and make a difference for others."
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