Castleton's O'Sullivan Tabbed NAC Woman of the Year
Castleton's O'Sullivan Tabbed NAC Woman of the Year
The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) is pleased to announce that Meghan O'Sullivan (No. Merrick, N.Y.) of Castleton has been selected as the winner of its Woman of the Year award in a vote of the league's athletic directors. A four-year standout women's basketball player for the Spartans, O'Sullivan will be presented the award at a to-be-determined date during the 2015-16 academic year. The NAC Woman of the Year is also nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
"Meghan is a leading example of what it means to be a Division III student-athlete," said NAC Commissioner Julie Muller. "She has seen great success as a leader on the court, as the Spartans captured three NAC titles and earned a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2014, while also maintaining an impressive work ethic in the classroom and in her community throughout her four years at Castleton. Meghan is certainly an extraordinary choice for the NAC Woman of the Year and a great nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award."
O'Sullivan, the third Spartan woman to win the award, was a dynamic presence on campus, both in the classroom and on the court throughout her four years at Castleton. This spring alone she won four separate awards at the Student Life Awards. O'Sullivan was a co-recipient of both the Good Citizenship Award and the College Service Award. She also won the John Young Memorial Award and the Mary Ellen Evans Award, both related to athletic achievement.
In the classroom, the Exercise Science major finished her undergraduate education with a 3.74 GPA while also serving as a community advisor for three years. As a senior she was elevated to senior community advisor while taking on the role of captain for the women's basketball team. She also served as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
"Meghan was an outstanding student-athlete at Castleton who is an excellent role model for all of our female athletes, said Castleton Associate Dean for Athletics and Recreation Deanna Tyson. "In the classroom, on the court, and in the community, Meghan was a model team player who excelled in everything she did. During her four years at Castleton she always represented herself, her team, and her college in a very positive manner and we are very proud of her accomplishments."
On the court O'Sullivan was a three-year all-conference performer and one of the greatest winners in Castleton athletics history. Her women's basketball team won three NAC Championships and one ECAC New England Championship while making three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Her teams finished with a career record of 101-16 with an impressive 77-6 mark against conference opponents. O'Sullivan also helped the team reach the Sweet 16 in 2014 and finished the year ranked 23rd in the nation. Individually, she joined a select group in surpassing career totals of 1000 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks. O'Sullivan finished her career first all-time in games played (117) and seventh in scoring with 1,147 points.
Head Women's Basketball Coach at Castleton, Tim Barrett, added, "Meghan is the epitome of all we could hope for in a student-athlete. She has excelled on the court, in the classroom and as a leader in the college community. This award culminates a fabulous college career as she graduates as the winningest player in program history."
The NAC Woman of the Year award is modeled after the NCAA's Woman of the Year program, which honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. To view the complete list of NAC Woman of the Year nominees for 2015, please click HERE.
O'Sullivan is one of a record 147 NCAA female-student-athletes that have been named 2015 Woman of the Year honorees by conferences and independent schools.
The Woman of the Year selection committee will next select the top 10 honorees in each division. These top 30 honorees will be announced in early September. The selection committee will then choose and announce the top nine finalists (three from each division) at the end of September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from amongst those nine finalists to determine the 2015 Woman of the Year who will be named at the annual ceremony in Indianapolis on October 18.