Coker's Burgett Named 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee

HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker College women's lacrosse player Ashlyn Burgett was named to the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee list, the NCAA announced today. 

Burgett was one of 517 females nominated across all divisions, one of 117 nominated from Division II and one of six nominated from the South Atlantic Conference.

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.

"This nomination is so humbling and I think it represents all of the hard work I put into my academic and athletic career while at Coker," Burgett stated. "In just three short years I was able to grow in more ways than I could have ever imagined and am now better prepared for my future endeavors. I plan on attending either graduate or law school and I would love to return to China at some point to study and teach because that was the most impactful experience during my duration as a student-athlete at Coker."

In the classroom, Burgett finished her undergraduate degree requirements in three years, as she graduated on May 14, 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, accumulating a 3.89 grade-point average. She was also a Junior Marshall, Sophomore Scholar, World Scholar, Benjamin A, Gilman Scholarship recipient, a SAC scholar-athlete nominee and a three-year member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll.

On the lacrosse field, she finished the 2015-16 season with 26 ground balls, eight caused turnovers, five goals and two assists. In her three-year Coker career, she finished with 80 ground balls, 22 goals and 12 assists in 41 games played.

In the community, she participated in the MLK Day of Service, aided with efforts during the annual Coker College Summer Business Academy and traveled to Shanghai, China where she volunteered her time at the Shanghai Healing Home.

Her leadership roles consisted of being a member of the President's Student Advisory Council, a Coker College Commissioner and a Coker Enactus Executive Council member. As a Coker Commissioner, she was a freshman orientation leader, a freshman mentor and co-instructed a CC 101 course. As an Exective Council member for Enactus, she was a project leader and service leadership award winner, which is earned by volunteering more than 100 hours of service for Enactus in a year.

"We are so proud of everything that Ashlyn accomplished during her time here at Coker and this nomination is a direct reflection of her character," said vice president of athletics and athletic facilities Dr. Lynn Griffin. "She is a leader on the field, in the classroom and in the community and represents everything we want our student-athletes to be here at Coker and would be a great recipient of this prestigious award."

She is the daughter of Kathy and Bobby Burgett.  

About the NCAA Woman of the Year Nomination and Award Process

All conference nominees are forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee. The selection committee will choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 candidates, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year.

All school and conference honorees receive an NCAA certificate and will be recognized on ncaa.org. The top 10 honorees from Divisions I, II and III, including the nine overall finalists, will be honored, and the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year winner announced, at a dinner Oct. 16 in Indianapolis.