UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The NCAA announced last week the nomination of former Saginaw Valley State University diving student-athlete Libby Caird as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
"I am so honored to be nominated for 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year alongside such hard-working and influential women," Caird said. "Reading the list of 2022 nominees there are several women who I have looked up to throughout my career, and having my name listed beside theirs is something I would have never dreamed of. I can't thank my family, friends, professors, teammates, and coaches enough for all of their support - both in and out of the pool."
NCAA member schools nominated 577 women for the national award. Conference offices then reviewed all nominees from their member schools. Your school's conference selected you as a nominee because of your outstanding achievement in your collegiate career. Nationally, conference offices submitted 151 nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.
Next, conference-level nominations will be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee, which will choose the top 10 honorees in each of the three NCAA divisions. The NCAA will announce the Top 30 honorees on ncaa.org in October. Should you be selected as one of the Top 30 honorees, you will be personally notified by the NCAA and invited to attend an award ceremony.
"Libby epitomizes the qualities that the NCAA looks for as it relates to the NCAA Woman of the Year recognition," SVSU Deputy Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Angela Pohl said. "Throughout her career, Libby has served as a leader for the members of her team and many other women student-athletes at SVSU. Libby is a quiet, yet fierce competitor, excelling in all that she desires to take on and I can't wait to watch her continue to soar!"
In her final season with the Cardinals in 2021-22, Caird earned GLIAC Diver of the Year honors. She qualified for the NCAA DII Championships in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events, earning All-American Honorable Mention in both competitions. Last month, Caird was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American team.
"Libby just continues to impress us," SVSU Head Swimming & Diving Coach Jason Lintjer said. "She was competitive at a national level on the diving boards, as well as a top-level student at SVSU. She is truly the definition of an elite-level student-athlete."
The 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced during an award ceremony at the NCAA Convention in January 2023.
