IWU’s Sprague Nominated for NCAA Honor

July 18, 2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan’s Melinda Sprague has been selected by the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin to represent the conference in the 2006 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.

Sprague, a cross country and track athlete from Ballwin, Mo. (Parkway West HS), was selected among the four candidates submitted by the eight CCIW member schools based on the selection guidelines used by the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee.

An all-American athlete in both track and cross country as a senior, Sprague was a three-time CCIW steeplechase champion, served the University community and campus on the IWU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Intersection, Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

She graduated in May with a 3.70 grade-point average in mathematics with a minor in secondary education.

Sprague's nomination will be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee, which will select the top 10 winners in each of the three divisions of the NCAA. From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division.  Finally, the members of the Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from among the top nine to determine the 2006 NCAA Woman of the Year.

The top 10 honorees from Divisions I, II and III will be honored, and the 2006 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at a dinner in Indianapolis on Oct. 28.

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309.556.3206