ST. JOSEPH – Two Missouri Western student-athletes were among the 117 Division II nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year.

Kelsey Olion (volleyball) and Morgan Rathmann (softball) were Missouri Western’s nominees. A record 543 female athletes were nominated across all three divisions.

Olion, who recently graduated with a degree in biochemistry/molecular biology, was a four-time MIAA Academic Excellence Award recipient, maintaining a 4.0 cumulative GPA throughout her time at Missouri Western. On the court, Olion was named All-MIAA three times including a second team selection as a senior in 2016.

Rathmann will graduate with a degree in English education and was also a four-time MIAA Academic Excellence Award winner. Rathmann was also named second team CoSIDA Academic All-America following her senior season and was a four-time All-MIAA selection, including first team honors in 2016 and 2017.

The NCAA encourages member schools to honor their top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award.

Next, conferences will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees — 10 from each division.

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine.

The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.

— MWSU Athletics —