Southern Utah University's 2015 Valedictorian continues to receive recognition for her outstanding achievements in academics and athletics. Erin Stone has now been selected by the Big Sky Conference as its honoree for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
The Conference reviewed all nominees from the member schools and selected Stone as the woman they wanted to forward on for the national award. Just a few weeks ago Erin was named SUU's Big Sky Scholar Athlete award winner. The biology major matched her career best pole vault of 3.40 meters twice this past season as a senior member of the Thunderbirds track and field team.
“This is such a wonderful honor for Erin, and one she has earned with several years of hard work,” said SUU Deputy Director of Athletics Dean O'Driscoll.
It was not hard for Stone to qualify for the honor, which required a GPA of 3.2, since she maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average during her career at SUU. One may wonder how she did it, balancing practices and homework, and still getting phenomenal grades. Stone attributes her successes to time management, saying, “School always comes first to me. I go to school, I go to practice, and then the first thing I do is homework. Always.”
“Erin continues to set a shining example of how important it is to put student first in the term student-athlete,” O'Driscoll said. “To go from the best student at the University to the student the conference recommends to the NCAA as the best in the Big Sky is just phenomenal.”
Assistant Track and Field Coach Brent Springall said, “She is a great example to all of her teammates. She has a very strong work ethic and commitment to success on and off the track.”
After being accepted to every one of the 11 physical therapy schools she applied to, Erin has decided to continue her education at another Big School Conference school, Eastern Washington.
“We are pleased and proud to have a student-athlete of Erin's caliber and character to represent Southern Utah University,” said SUU Senior Women's Administrator Jenna Ayers. Jenna added, “She is a shining example of what a successful Division I student-athlete and woman looks like.”
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee will now review all of the conference nominations and select finalists in September and eventually the national NCAA Woman of the Year award will be presented on October 18 in Indianapolis.
