POMONA, Calif. - With stellar efforts both on and off the court, Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball student-athlete
Ariel Marsh has been named a 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee.
Of the nominees, 207 competed in Division I, 93 competed in Division II and 180 competed in Division III athletics. Marsh was one of four nominees from the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
The NCAA encourages member schools to honor its top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award.
Then, conferences assess each nominee's eligibility and select up to two conference nominees. All conference nominees are forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee, which chooses the top 30 honorees – 10 from each division.
From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three nominees from each division and announces the top nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses from among those nine to determine the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced, and the Top 30 honorees celebrated, at the annual award ceremony Oct. 18 in Indianapolis.
Now in its 25th year, the Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.
"Ariel has been superb in all areas of her collegiate and academic career," said head coach
Danelle Bishop. "We are beyond proud of her. This is a wonderful honor for her and well deserved. She is the epitome of a Cal Poly Pomona and NCAA student-athlete."
Marsh, who was already a Division II Academic All- American, added to her continuously growing list of achievements as she was named the CCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in early June.
After earning her undergrad degree in the Broncos' 2012-13 academic year, the Chino Hills native went into her Master's program and graduated in 2015. Her GPA through the regenerative studies program was a stellar 3.98.
Marsh has received a number of accolades throughout her time in Green and Gold. In the 2013-14 season, she earned a Division II All-American nod, a CoSIDA Academic All-District Honor, and a D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, which she earned in 2011-12, 2012-13, and the 2013-14 year.
She received the Dr. Hal Charnofsky Award from Bronco Athletics each of the last two years and was named the Regenerative Studies Outstanding Student of the Year in 2015. She also earned a similar honor as the Communication Outstanding Student of the Year in 2013.
Marsh's name is in the CPP women's basketball record book for her feats on the court. She holds the program's No. 1 spot in free throw percentage with an 85-percent mark. She's also second in three-pointers made with 169.
Marsh graduated this month with the highest honors: Summa Cum Laude. She was named to the President's List (3.50+ GPA/Year) each of her years and was named to the Dean's List (3.50+ GPA/Term) six times.
Through her graduate program, she helped Cal Poly Pomona set up a "Zero Waste" initiative where the athletic department can minimize, compost and recycle most of the waste from home events.
