Princeton University Athletics
Susan Rea Named NCAA Woman Of The Year For New Jersey
August 24, 2000 | General
Aug. 24, 2000
Susan Rea, one of the most accomplished scholar-athletes in Princeton history, has been named the New Jersey state winner for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Rea, a native of Palo Alto, Calif., is one of 51 national winners, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of the 51 state winners, 14 are from Division I schools, with nine from Division II and 28 from Division III.
A list of 10 finalists will be announced in September, and the ultimate winner will be announced at a banquet in October honoring all 51 finalists.
The award recognizes excellence in three areas: academics, athletics and service.
Rea won seven varsity letters at Princeton, four in soccer and three in basketball. She was an All-Ivy League women's soccer player, and as a senior she led the Tigers to the NCAA tournament.
Academically, she graduated with a 3.96 grade-point average in chemical engineering, one of the most difficult disciplines at Princeton. She is currently finishing an internship in Japan before heading to England in the fall to begin postgraduate work as part of her Marshall's Scholarship. Rea will spend the next three years earning a Ph.D. at Cambridge University.
While at Princeton, Rea was active in a variety of community service projects. Among her endeavors, she served as a project director for the Urban Crisis Food Ministry in Trenton, volunteered and served as a committee head for the Special Olympics, worked with the Martin House project in Trenton working with low-income home repairs and beautification and served as a Big Sister to an autistic child.
Rea earned the Art Lane Citizen-Athlete Award at Princeton for outstanding community service by a Princeton athlete.