BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Recent Western Washington University graduate Bethany Drake has been nominated for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award as announced by the NCAA Tuesday. Drake is one of 117 Division II female college athletes that received nominations for the prestigious award.

Drake (Sandy, OR) was part of a record group of 543 female college athletes that have been nominated by NCAA member schools for the Woman of the Year award. Established in 1991 and now in its 27th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Drake was a standout for WWU both on the field of competition as a three-time All-American and two-time national champion in the javelin, and was also a star student-athlete earning numerous academic awards. She capped her career in 2017 being crowned the NCAA II javelin champion for the second time in her career (also 2014) and was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Outside of competition, Drake graduated last June with a bachelor’s degree in art education, carrying a 3.87 cumulative grade point average. She walked again this June with a perfect 4.00 GPA while obtaining her Master in Teaching as she pursues a career as an art teacher. She was selected as a CoSIDA Academic All-American and became a three-time GNAC Academic All-Star. She was also named WWU’s co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The school nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award represent all three NCAA divisions, with 229 from Division I, 117 from Division II and 197 from Division III. The nominees competed in 21 different women’s sports, with Drake part of group of 100 outdoor track & field athletes. Next, conferences will select up to two conference nominees each from the pool of school nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees – 10 from each division.

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics then chooses the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine. The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.

— @WWUTFXC —