RICHARDSON, Texas –– Hardin-Simmons University senior volleyball student-athlete Kaela Parnell (Carrollton, TX/Hebron HS) has been selected as the American Southwest Conference nominee for the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year ballot, the league office announced Monday (June 28) following a vote of the conference Senior Woman Administrators.

Parnell will join nominees from Division I, II and III conferences on the NCAA Woman of the Year (WOTY) ballot. In its 20th year, the WOTY award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics manages the nomination and selection process.

"My experience in service, athletics, academics and leadership have increased my sense of purpose in life and helped me become an honest, hard-working and motivated person with a broader outlook," Parnell wrote in her personal statement for the WOTY nomination. "I learned to balance leading, teaching and having a headstrong confidence with following, listening and having a sensitive understanding."

Named female recipient of the 2009-10 American Southwest Conference Community Service Award, Parnell completed her Hardin-Simmons volleyball career leading the Cowgirls to the ASC West Division title and a runner-up finish in the conference championship tournament. The middle blocker and team captain was the 2009 ASC West Division Most Valuable Player, an Honorable Mention All-America and All-South Region pick by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), and both an all-conference and all division honoree in her senior season. She earned ASC, AVCA and school awards throughout her HSU career.

Parnell excelled in the classroom, compiling a 4.0 grade-point average as a biology (pre-medicine) major. She was presented the HSU Minnie Anderson Award as the highest achieving woman in the graduating class as evidenced by scholarship, character, athletics and service. Additionally, Parnell was cited as the 2010 Holland School of Science and Mathematics Medal Winner in addition to and earning recognition as a member of the Gamma Beta Phi and Alpha Chi National Honor Societies, and an HSU President's List scholar. She was elected president of the HSU Pre-Health Club and worked as a tutor and an undergraduate researcher in chemistry.

A NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient, Parnell garnered CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America and All-District honors along with ASC All-Academic citations.

In the campus and Abilene (Texas) community, Parnell was involved with Meals on Wheels, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Love and Care Ministries, American Heart Association, Abilene Food Bank and Abilene Mission Thanksgiving Dinner. Parnell served as a volleyball representative on the HSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and assisted with HSU Honors Program and Pre-Health Club activities.

The WOTY selection committee will choose the top 10 winners in Division s I, II and III. From among those 30 honorees, the committee will determine the top three in each division with the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year honoree chosen from the final nine candidates. The top 10 division winners, nine finalists and award recipient will be honored at the October 17, 2010 Woman of the Year Award celebration in Indianapolis.

WOTY Notables:

-- Former Hardin-Simmons volleyball standout Virginia Aguilar was a finalist for the 2007 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

-- Five ASC institutions submitted nominees for 2010 WOTY consideration by the conference Senior Woman Administrators. Each of the nominees carried better than a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average for their collegiate career.

Concordia Texas -- Kerrie Carter (Cuero, TX/CHS); Basketball; Kinesiology

Texas-Dallas -- Chelsea Edwards (Friendswood, TX/FHS); Basketball; Business Administration

East Texas Baptist -- Jane Hays (Hereford, TX); Volleyball; History/Secondary Education

Hardin-Simmons -- Kaela Parnell (Carrollton, TX/Hebron HS); Volleyball; Biology/Pre-Med

McMurry -- Amanda Peters (Aspermont, TX/AHS); Basketball; Exercise Science & Human Performance

-- ASC --

-- NCAA Div. III: Discover, Develop, Dedicate --