FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona track and field’s Kasandra Vegas has been named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. Vegas was also chosen as the Big Sky Conference honoree. An announcement of the Top 30 honorees, ten from each NCAA division, will be made on NCAA.org in early September.
“I’m very grateful for the honor,” said Vegas. “I owe it all to my parents that raised me to be person I am today. I went through a lot of struggles this past year, but I was able to persevere through it all. Supporting me the whole were my teammates and other student-athletes.
The senior from Honolulu has performed many hours of community service, while also serving as a leader to her teammates. In 2013, Vegas served as Co-President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, where she volunteered more than 90 hours of her time at Student-Athlete for a Day, Red Ribbon Week, trail building, coaching local athletes, jog-a-thon, Special Olympics, and St. Mary's Food Bank while also assisting the academics staff in coordinating and communicating events for other student-athletes.
Vegas, a Golden Eagle Recipient for a 3.00 grade point average or higher, will pursue a master’s degree at the University of Sydney in Australia.
“This recognition will give me more motivation to help others, as I will be able to coach track and field while in Australia,” said Vegas.
NCAA schools nominated 430 individuals for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, which reflects the growth in opportunity for women to achieve as students, leaders and athletes. A quarter of those honorees received the additional recognition by their sport conference for outstanding achievement in their collegiate career.
