JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Saint Peter's University has nominated Shelby Piccinic for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The NCAA Woman of the Year program was established in 1991 and honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions. To be eligible, a nominee must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have earned her undergraduate degree by summer 2023.
Piccinic transferred from Army West Point, and has been an intricate part of the Saint Peter's cross country and track programs since 2021. As a sophomore, she was the team's top finisher, and won the Peacock Invitational with a time of 15:13:29. During the track season, the business management major set a personal and program record in the 3000 steeplechase at the MAAC Championships with a time of 11:54.10 and won the 3000 steeplechase at the Jersey Relays in 12:15.33.
As a junior, the Saint Peter's standout placed first on the Peacocks leader board in all four meets during the cross country season. For her senior campaign, Piccinic set three personal bests in the long jump, 1500, and 3000 steeplechase during the outdoor season. She also set three personal best performances during the indoor season in the 8000 at the MAAC Indoor Championship, along with the mile, and 1000 events. At the 2022 MAAC Cross Country Championships, Piccinic led the way for the women's team with a stellar placement of 56th out of 123 runners.
Additionally, Piccinic was team captain from 2021-2023 and was named to the MAAC All-Academic team multiple times. The SPU distance runner received the 2023 Athletic Director's Award and earned 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Cross Country/Track and Field Team honors.
"Being nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year for my school means so much to me," Piccinic said. "The moments I cherish the most at Saint Peter's are with the athletic staff in the Resident Life Center and all of my teammates. I truly miss the days of class and track practice with such amazing coaches and people beside me each day at Saint Peter's."
The Woman of the Year Selection Committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the top 30 honorees, 10 from each division from the conference-level nominees. The top 30 honorees will be announced in October. The selection committee will then determine the top three honorees in each division from the top 30, and the nine finalists will be announced in November. For those nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose the 2023 Woman of the Year. The honorees will be celebrated at the Woman of the Year Award Ceremony at the NCAA Convention in Phoenix in January.
