BALTIMORE – Coppin State senior
Ariel Richard's decorated career concluded with her being nominated for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
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.
NCAA member colleges and universities have nominated 480 female student-athletes – the most ever in the history of the program – for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
"It's a great honor to be recognized by my athletics department," Richard said. "It means that they truly believe in my professional abilities. I appreciate all of their support throughout my college career. Without them none of my achievements would have been possible."
A three-time All-MEAC and four-time All-MEAC Academic selection, Richard earned the distinguished Coppin State President's Eagle Award during the annual athletic banquet and graduated last month. She was one of two Coppin State student-athletes to attend the recent NCAA Career in Sports Forum. Richard was also selected to receive the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics.
Richard is one of the greatest volleyball players in Coppin State history. She ended her volleyball career as the program's all-time leader in kills (1,223) and points (1,392.5). She notched 18 double-doubles in her splendid career and had 61 matches in which she has posted double figures in kills.
This past season, Richard was named second team All-MEAC and to the All-MEAC Academic Team. She helped Coppin State advance to the MEAC semifinals for the second consecutive season by averaging 2.93 kills per set, 1.02 digs per set, 0.42 blocks per set and compiling a .256 hitting percentage, which was 10th in the MEAC. She was second on the team in kills (331) and seventh in the MEAC in kills per set. Richard had double-digit kills in 15 matches and recorded three double-doubles against La Salle (15 kills, 11 digs), St. Peter's (21, 14) and UMES (22, 12).
Richard enjoyed a four-week experience working as an intern at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital in the physical therapy and rehabilitation department last summer. A sports medicine major, Richard was able to get a first-hand look at what patients endured during their recovery.
Of the nominees, 207 competed in Division I, 93 competed in Division II and 180 competed in Division III athletics.
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.
Coppin State's
Christina Epps was the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Woman of the Year and Top 30 finalist.
