Softball: Jordan Wallace Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

The Advertiser, June 20, 2015

UL pitcher Jordan Wallace speaks to media Monday, May 18, 2015, during a press conference at the UL Sports Information Office in Lafayette, La.(Photo: Leslie Westbrook, The Advertiser)

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball senior pitcher Jordan Wallace is among a distinguished group of female athletes nominated for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, announced Friday by the NCAA.

Wallace was one of 480 female student-athletes nominated nationwide across all NCAA divisions – the most ever in the history of the program. Of the nominees, 207 competed in Division I, 93 competed in Division II and 180 competed in Division III athletics.

Now in its 25^th 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.

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.

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.

Wallace, who suited up for the Ragin Cajuns from 2012-15, concluded her career ranked No. 2 in career strikeouts (905) and No. 4 in career victories (91). Her 91-19 career record produced a winning percentage of .827 which ranks second all-time in program history.

The Weatherford, Texas, native received first team recognition from the Sun Belt Conference and Louisiana Sports Writers Association for the third in her career. She spent the entire 2015 season ranked Top 10 nationally in fewest hits allowed per seven innings and posted a career-best .156 opponents batting average.

Wallace received her bachelor’s degree in May during the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Spring 2015 commencement. She was named the outstanding graduate in the Department of Marketing and Hospitality.