SPOKANE, Wash. – The Northwest Conference has selected Whitworth University's KC McConnell as its 2016 Woman of the Year and she goes on as the conference's official nominee for 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The NCAA 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.
Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member school. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its member schools and submits its conference nominee to the NCAA. The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee selects the Top 30 – 10 from each division and then three finalists from each division. The Committee on Women's Athletics selects the winner from among the top nine finalists.
McConnell is the first Pirate student-athlete selected to represent the Northwest Conference.
"Whitworth had several student-athletes in the past who would have been excellent nominees from the Northwest Conference, but KC rose to the top given her excellent academic achievements, leadership qualities, and outstanding accomplishments in two sports," said Jo Ann Wagstaff, Whitworth's Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Women's Administrator who completed the online nomination form. "We are proud to have her represent our conference with this prestigious award."
McConnell recently completed a stellar career in women's basketball and was also an important contributor to the women's tennis team. McConnell was named a First Team NCAA Division III All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) following the 2015-16 season. She was also named First Team All-NWC and a First Team Academic All-American (CoSIDA). In addition, McConnell was one of ten finalists for the prestigious Jostens Award for Division III Player of the Year. McConnell concluded her Pirate playing career with 1,605 points to rank third on Whitworth's all-time scoring list for women's basketball. She was selected as the NWC Women's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week four times in 2015-16 and surpassed 30 points in a game three times, including a career-high 35 points against Cal Lutheran on December 11th. She averaged 19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per contest this past season. She made better-than 45% of her shots from the field and 81% of her free throws. KC also played on the women's tennis team for four seasons, joining up after the conclusion of the basketball schedule. She had a career singles record of 12-7 and a career doubles mark of 5-6.
McConnell graduated in May as a double major in kinesiology and education and finished with a grade point average of 3.95. In addition McConnell was a leading participant in Whitworth's SAAC food drive over the past two years, and also packed meals for the Generation Alive/Whitworth Million Meals campaign in the spring of 2014. She spent two summers with the Boys and Girls Club of Lewiston, Idaho near her hometown of Clarkston, Wash. She helped run programs that provided the children opportunities for character development, education and fitness.
"In my 29 years of collegiate coaching, I have seldom seen a student-athlete in any sport that matches KC in academics, athletics and service," said Helen Higgs, Whitworth's women's basketball coach. "KC always thinks the best, and strives for the best for herself and others. While KC has excelled in so many different arenas, she is one of the most humble, and non-assuming people I have ever met."
The top-30 Woman of the Year honorees will be recognized, and the 2016 Woman of the Year announced, at an awards dinner in Indianapolis in October.
