Former Case Western Reserve University women's soccer star Anika Washburn was selected as one of the two University Athletic Association representatives for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, as announced by the conference last week.

Rooted in Title IX, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award was established in 1991 to recognize graduating female student-athletes who have completed their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service, and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Washburn became the first CWRU student-athlete to be named to the Academic All-America team four times in a single sport with two first team and two second team honors. A two-time All-America selection and two-time UAA Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, she helped lead the Spartans to their first UAA women's soccer title and the school's first team other than men's tennis to reach the national championship match in its sport. She is the program's single-season and career record holder in goals, assists, points, and game-winning goals.

"Anika is very deserving of such an honor. She was a tremendous contributor to our program, being a great leader and competitor. Off the field, Anika was committed to her academics and being part of the  greater CWRU community," said CWRU head women's soccer coach Abby Richter. "This honor is a great way to end her amazing career at Case Western Reserve University."

In each of her five years at CWRU, including 2020 when fall sports were canceled due to COVID-19, Washburn was part of the Girls Who Code Club (GWC, an international non-profit), including three years as co-president of the group that hosted 10-week sessions each semester to support and increase the number of girls and women in computer science and STEM in the Cleveland area. "I never imagined that this club would change my entire college experience as well as give me a new perspective on the importance of shrinking the gender gap in technology," Washburn said. "GWC was a great opportunity to both teach computer science to girls who otherwise may not ever be introduced to it and show them that there are supportive groups of women in STEM who are intelligent, passionate, and successful."

"What a tremendous honor for Anika to be chosen as one of the UAA Woman of the Year winners. A model student-athlete, Anika represents a dedicated student in the classroom, high achieving athlete on the field, and a model citizen in the community," remarked CWRU James C. Wyant Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education T.J. Shelton. "Her leadership on the field and caring for her teammates was a driving force in the overall team's success during her time on the team. She represents the very best of the NCAA student-athlete and is an ideal representative of the conference for this honor."

Conference offices selected up to two nominees each from their pool of member school nominees. All nominees who competed in a sport not sponsored by their school's primary conference, as well as associate conference nominees and independent nominees, were considered by a selection committee. Next, the Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the Top 30 honorees — 10 from each division.

From the Top 30, the Woman of the Year selection committee will determine the top three honorees in each division and announce nine finalists. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then will choose the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be named later this year.