Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast
Kyla Sears Named Nominee For NCAA Woman Of The Year
July 15, 2022 | Women's Lacrosse
Kyla Sears '22 has been named one of Princeton's two nominees for the NCAA Woman of The Year Award as announced by the NCAA this week.
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 2022.
Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member school. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its core member schools (and sponsored sports) and submits its conference nominee(s) to the NCAA. Then, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee identifies the Top 30 – 10 from each division –and from there selects three finalists from each division. From the nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then selects the NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be named later this fall.
Sears rewrote the record books for Princeton women's lacrosse during the most successful offensive career in program history which saw her receive the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award as Princeton's top senior female student-athlete. The 2022 Ivy League Attacker of the Year and a second-team All-American, Sears now ranks No. 1 all-time in points by a Tiger with 285, No. 1 in goals with 202, No. 1 in assists with 97 and No. 1 in free position goals with 68. An efficient performer, she has scored at least one goal in every career game played. Her production has made an impact nationally as she ranks No. 7 among active players in points-per-game, No. 12 in goals-per-game, and No. 20 in assists-per-game. A three-time first-team All-Ivy selection, Sears ranks No. 3 all-time in points by an Ivy League player, No. 4 in goals and No. 7 in assists. In 2018, she established new Ivy League freshmen records for goals with 64 and points with 83. A three-time Ivy League champion, Sears' 40 assists in 2019 are a single-season program record. Sears was named one of 25 nominees for the Tewaaraton Award as national player of the year in 2022.
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 2022.
Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member school. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its core member schools (and sponsored sports) and submits its conference nominee(s) to the NCAA. Then, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee identifies the Top 30 – 10 from each division –and from there selects three finalists from each division. From the nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then selects the NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be named later this fall.
Sears rewrote the record books for Princeton women's lacrosse during the most successful offensive career in program history which saw her receive the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award as Princeton's top senior female student-athlete. The 2022 Ivy League Attacker of the Year and a second-team All-American, Sears now ranks No. 1 all-time in points by a Tiger with 285, No. 1 in goals with 202, No. 1 in assists with 97 and No. 1 in free position goals with 68. An efficient performer, she has scored at least one goal in every career game played. Her production has made an impact nationally as she ranks No. 7 among active players in points-per-game, No. 12 in goals-per-game, and No. 20 in assists-per-game. A three-time first-team All-Ivy selection, Sears ranks No. 3 all-time in points by an Ivy League player, No. 4 in goals and No. 7 in assists. In 2018, she established new Ivy League freshmen records for goals with 64 and points with 83. A three-time Ivy League champion, Sears' 40 assists in 2019 are a single-season program record. Sears was named one of 25 nominees for the Tewaaraton Award as national player of the year in 2022.
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