Belmont women’s soccer alumna Alison Alcott, a 2015 graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), has been selected as one of the Top-30 honorees for the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year award, as announced by the organization on Thursday. She becomes the first student-athlete from the Ohio Valley Conference and the first Bruin to garner the honor.
Ten women from each of the three divisions make up the Top 30, spanning various NCAA sports. Later this month, three finalists from each division will be selected to form the nine finalists for the award.
Earlier this summer, Alcott was tabbed the 2015 Woman of the Year Conference Honoree for the OVC, joining a record 146 other NCAA female student-athletes were also named Woman of the Year honorees by their respective conferences and independent schools.
“We are grateful that others recognize Ali’s character and determination on and off the pitch,” said Head Coach Heather Henson. “I want to thank the NCAA Committee for selecting her. We are thrilled for her opportunity and that we were privileged to have her as a part of our program.
“Ali is one of the true definitions of what Being Belmont is. She has truly left a legacy to our program, the Ohio Valley Conference and Belmont University.”
In May, Alcott was presented the prestigious 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award for her stellar career on the pitch and in the classroom along with good sportsmanship and citizenship, becoming only the second women women’s player and the second consecutive Belmont student-athlete to garner the honor.
“It has been a joy to watch Ali grow—both as an excellent student and as an outstanding young woman,” said Belmont Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Rich Tiner. “I’ve watched her emerge as a leader who has positive impact on everyone she meets, and I couldn’t be prouder that she has been recognized in this way.”
Alcott played in every game of her collegiate career for the Belmont, including starting all but 10 of those contests. She was a two-time All-OVC selection and this past season was named Third Team NSCAA All-South Region. She also served as a co-captain for Belmont during her final season.
In the classroom, Alcott was selected as a CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-American in 2014, making her one of just 33 soccer student-athletes selected nationally at the Division I level. She was also an OVC Medal of Honor and Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and a member of the Dean’s List as a nursing major. She was also one of just six OVC Scholar-Athlete Award winners for 2013-14 and earned the Belmont Presidential Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for 2015.
On campus, she was a member of the Student-Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC), serving as the organization’s secretary this past year. Alcott was a member of the Alpha Chi honor society, the Phi Sigma Iota foreign language honor society and the Student Nurses Association.
“Our Belmont University athletic community could not be prouder of Alison as she receives this tremendous honor from the NCAA. Ali is a champion in every respect, and embodies all that we value at Belmont – character, integrity, and a passion to serve others,” said Belmont’s Director of Athletics Mike Strickland.
In the community, she volunteered with numerous organizations and events including the Nashville Rescue Mission, Special Olympics, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Camp Bruin and Operation Christmas Child. Alcott also traveled to Costa Rica, on a medical mission trip and helped set up medical clinics, diagnosed patients and organizing and dispensed medication.
Alcott and the remainder of the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 Class will travel to Indianapolis for a dinner on Sunday, October 18 where the Woman of the Year will be announced.
Now in its 25th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award recognizes graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.