ADA – East Central University has nominated softball senior Carlee Henderson as the Tiger's nomination for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year honor.  She is one of 543 nominees, the most in the history of the 27 years of the program.

The NCAA Woman of the Year honor was started to honor graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

2017 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominations

This year, NCAA Division II programs nominated a total of 117 female student-athletes, with the group averaging a 3.69 GPA.

Henderson, the recipient of the ECU George Nigh Award (the top graduating senior) at the May 2017 graduation, was a member of the softball team for the last four seasons and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and a minor in chemistry and a 3.97 GPA.  She will be starting medical school at Oklahoma State University in the fall.

"I feel blessed to have had Carlee in my program the past four years," said head coach Destini Anderson.  She is an outstanding student and leader of the softball field.  As she moves on to the next chapter in her life I feel strongly she will be able to accomplish her goals in the medical field."

While at ECU, Henderson was a member of the McNair Scholars Program Internship, a tutor for inorganic chemistry and biology, was a member of the Spanish Club, Chemistry Club, Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society and Vison Bank Presidential Leadership Program.

The Ada, Okla., native also found time to volunteer at several organizations in the Ada area, including those to help the less fortunate and to encourage women in science.

While a member of the softball team, she earned two Great American Conference Crafton-Tull Distinguished Scholar Athlete awards, three Academic All-GAC honors and three D2ADA Academic Achievement awards.  She helped the Tigers claim the 2015 GAC Tournament Championship and advance to the NCAA DII Central Regional, where they finished as the runner-up.

Henderson, who is one of five student-athletes from the GAC nominated for the award, will now wait to see if she makes the cut as a representative from the GAC in July.  All conference nominees are forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee, which chooses the top 30 honorees – 10 from each division.

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three nominees from each division and announced the top nine finalists in September.  The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses from among those nine to determine the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year.

The 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced, and the Top 30 honorees celebrated, at the annual award ceremony in October in Indianapolis.

Henderson is the third nominee from ECU since 2014, when women's tennis player Agostina Moran was one of the top 10 finalists.  The Tigers also nominated Margaret Glutz in 2015.