All-Time ASC Nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year Award
 
RICHARDSON, Texas –– University of Texas at Tyler softball student-athlete Lauren Robenalt has been selected as the American Southwest Conference nominee for the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the league office announced Monday (June 9) following vote of the ASC Senior Woman Administrators.
 
Robenalt (San Antonio, Texas / Brandeis HS) will join nominees from Division I, II and III conferences on the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year ballot. In its 24th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year 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 (CWA) manages the nomination and selection process.
 
A four-year starter and two-year team captain (2013, '14), Robenalt has anchored a Texas-Tyler team that has competed in the NCAA Division III Softball Championship in each of the last four seasons, including two Finals appearances with a third-place finish in 2011 and fourth-place mark in 2013. In addition to leading the Patriots to two ASC Championships (2012, '14), Robenalt led Texas-Tyler to a league record 31 wins against conference members en route to being named the 2014 ASC Championship Tournament MVP. A three-time all-conference selection (2011, '13, '14), Robenalt is a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American (2014) and two-time All-Region selection (2011, '13).
 
Academically, Robenalt has been equally impressive. A magna cum laude graduate, Robenalt received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in human resource development in May. Robenalt received the 2014 ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor recognizing her as the top Texas-Tyler graduating female student-athlete. A seven-time Dean’s List recipient, Robenalt is a three-time American Southwest Conference All-Academic honoree (2012, '13, '14) and was twice named an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete (2012, '13).
 
When not on the field or in the classroom, Robenalt served on the Texas-Tyler Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for four years, including the last two years as president. She helped organize and participated in several community service programs in the Tyler area. Robenalt was a two-year volunteer with Vacation Bible School in addition to working with special needs children and contributing to the efforts for the East Texas Food Bank and the Faulkner Park Softball Skills Camp.
 
"The life-shaping experiences I have endured on the field and in my university will forever play a role in the woman I am today and I strive to become," said Robenalt. "Learning to accept failures alongside accomplishments has left the biggest impact. Not every championship was won, but I learned to attack my weaknesses, swallow my pride and smile for the winning team."
 
Robenalt is the first Texas-Tyler student-athlete selected as the ASC nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year and the third consecutive softball player selected to represent the Conference on the national award ballot.
 
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee will choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 candidates, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the CWA will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year. The top 10 honorees and the nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be introduced at the awards dinner in Indianapolis October 19, 2014.

All-Time ASC Nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year

2014	Lauren Robenalt, University of Texas at Tyler (Softball)
2013	# + Lya Swaner, East Texas Baptist University (Softball)
2012	Ashton Brey, East Texas Baptist University (Softball)
2011	Amy Kuykendall, Hardin-Simmons University (Soccer)
2010	+ Kaela Parnell, Hardin-Simmons University (Volleyball)
2009	Ashley Huston, Hardin-Simmons University (Track and Field)
2008	Michelle Heckmann, Concordia University Texas (Volleyball)
	Tarra Richardson, McMurry University (Basketball)
2007	+ Virginia Aguilar, Hardin-Simmons University (Volleyball)
2006	April Johnson, Hardin-Simmons University (Soccer)

# Top 9 Finalist
+ Top 30 Finalist