INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Women's tennis player
Kierstin Hensley was selected as a nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award on Tuesday afternoon. The award recognizes outstanding female student-athletes for a combination of academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service, and leadership.
Hensley is a three-time All-MEC First Team selection, former ITA Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year, and was tabbed ITA Atlantic Region Player to Watch after her junior season. Most recently, she was named ITA Atlantic Region Senior Player of the Year. She was last ranked No. 12 in women's singles, the highest-ever ranking for a women's tennis player in the Mountain East Conference, by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Her athletic excellence is matched by her academic achievements. She graduated in May of 2020 from West Virginia State University with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
Hensley became the unquestionable leader of the women's tennis team by her junior year through her constant dedication and unwavering commitment. Her coach and teammates alike hold her in the highest-possible esteem.
She will represent WVSU as the proceedings for announcing a winner of the NCAA Woman of the Year award continue. Next, conference offices will select their nominees for the honor. Each conference nominee will be notified by the NCAA, and all conference-round nominees will be announced in August.
Conference nominations are forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee, which identifies the top 10 honorees in each of the three NCAA divisions. From those 30 honorees, the selection committee then determines the three finalists in each division for a total of nine finalists.
The Committee on Women's Athletics will select the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year from the nine finalists. The 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced this fall.
