Former WUSTL Standout Elizabeth Phillips Named to Top 30 NCAA Woman of the Year Honorees

St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 28, 2012 – Elizabeth Phillips, a 2012 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, was selected as one of the top 30 honorees for the 2012 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The top 30 women, selected from a group of nearly 430 nominees, are composed of 10 honorees from each NCAA division. In September, three finalists will be chosen from each division to form nine finalists for the award. The 2012 Woman of the Year will be announced and the top 30 women will be honored during a ceremony on Oct. 14 in Indianapolis.

Phillips, who graduated in May with a degree in biomedical engineering and a 4.0 GPA, completed her career as one of the most decorated student-athletes in school history. She became the first-ever three-time NCAA Elite 88/89 Award winner in any NCAA division. In 2012, Phillips was named the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America of the Year Division III award winner for women’s track & field/cross country, making her first track & field/cross country Academic All-America of the Year winner in Washington U. history. She earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 2011 and 2012.

A seven-time indoor and outdoor track & field All-American, Phillips ranks in the top-three in Washington University history in five different indoor and outdoor events, including holding the outdoor 1,500 school record. She was the team captain and finished 40th individually to help Washington U. capture its first NCAA Division III National Championship in women’s cross country in 2011.

During her final track & field season, Phillips earned All-America honors with a third-place finish in the mile and as a member of the national runner-up distance medley relay team at the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. She then capped her stellar career by finishing sixth in the 1,500 to earn All-America honors at the 2012 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The top 30 honorees reflect the pillars of the NCAA Woman of the Year award, with outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The NCAA established the Woman of the Year Award in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. The award recognizes not only the athletics achievements of outstanding young women, but also their academic achievements, community service and leadership.