Hopson among nine Women of Year finalists
Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
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CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCAA Awards
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State alumna Julia Hopson is a finalist for the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Hopson and eight other finalists were named Wednesday by the NCAA on its website (see the release here). The annual award recognizes student-athletes for their accomplishments in their sports, in the classroom, as leaders, and for their service to others.
A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Hopson earned five All-American awards in track and field throwing events at Fredonia State, including a national championship -- the first by a Blue Devil woman in any sport -- in the 2009 women's 20-pound weight throw.
She was an academic All-American, a Dean's list student, received academic recognition from the State University of New York Athletic Conference several times, and won the the SUNY Chancellor's Award for her classwork. A graphic design major, she had pieces of her artwork displayed at the 2009 NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C., and was featured in the NCAA Champions magazine.
Away from her sport and the classroom, Hopson was active in the Fredonia State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and helped organize the team's annual leaf-raking day as well as a campus dodgeball tournament to benefit a local food kitchen.
Hopson and the other finalists were chosen from a list of 30 semifinalists -- 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. The semifinalists were selected from an initial pool of 132 nominees from all NCAA colleges and universities.
The other eight finalists are Amanda Blumenherst (Duke, golf); Ashley Clare-Kearney (LSU, gymnastics); Dani Huffman (Emory, volleyball); Venessa Lee (Pittsburg State, cross country/track and field); Tracy Menzel (Kenyon, swimming and diving); Lacey Nymeyer (Arizona, swimming and diving); Ashley Puga (Northwest Nazarene, cross country/track and field); and Kathleen Tafler (Grand Valley State, soccer).
The winner will be announced Oct. 18 during a banquet in Indianapolis, Ind.