About The Atlantic 10 9/18/2008 8:00:00 AM Atlantic 10 Conference

Lindsey Ozimek Among Candidates For NCAA Woman Of The Year Award

Sept. 18, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Former Charlotte 49ers women's soccer stalwart Lindsey Ozimek (2004-07) is one of 30 candidates for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year award. The award recognizes outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled academically and athletically in addition to demonstrating strong community service and leadership.

The original list of candidates of 130 female student-athletes for the NCAA Woman of the Year award has been narrowed down to a top 10 list for each division (I, II, III). Ozimek is a part of the ten Division I candidates. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose the winner and it will be announced at a banquet in Indianapolis, Ind., on Oct. 19. Ozimek has been invited to attend the banquet after being selected as one of the top 30 candidates for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Ozimek, the 2007 A-10 Midfielder of the Year, dished out a league-leading 13 assists last season as a senior while garnering first-team All-Conference honors for the third consecutive year. The Charlotte, N.C., native led the 49ers to the 2007 A-10 regular and post-season titles and was named to the All-Championship team for the third time. She ended her career with 43 assists, tops in program annals.

Off the field, Ozimek was named the Atlantic 10 Female Student-Athlete of the Year this past June. She was tabbed a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America for the second straight season. She was a three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American since she earned third-team honors as a sophomore. She was also three-time Academic All-Atlantic 10 selection. The 2007 A-10 Women's Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America second-team this past year while boasting a 4.0 grade point average majoring in special education.

The honor recognizes outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled academically and athletically in addition to demonstrating strong community service and leadership. To be eligible, the female student-athlete must have earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and competed during the 2007-08 academic year. In addition, each individual must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2008 spring season and must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5. A committee composed of representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences chose the honorees - 10 from each NCAA division - from 130 conference and independent nominees. From the group of 30, the top nine finalists - three from each division - will be selected and announced early next month. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose a national winner from among the nine finalists.