Five nominees announced for Tech's 2018 Female Athlete of the Year

Posted: Apr 24, 2018

By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The countdown continues for Thursday's Golden Wings Awards as the Tennessee Tech Department of Athletics will announce one of its biggest honors – the Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Five student-athletes have been nominated for the award, which was recently voted on by the TTU Awards Committee. This award, as well as the Male Athlete of the Year, Man of the Year and Woman of the Year, will be presented at the annual Golden Wings Awards banquet

The timeframe of the awards period is the current season (2017-18 in this instance) except for baseball, softball and outdoor track & field. With those sports still competing with a large portion of their seasons still left, the previous spring campaigns (2017 in this instance) are recognized. The Man and Woman of the Year awards encompass the 2017-18 period for all sports.

The five finalists, in alphabetical order, are:

<<< Lauren Brewer | Senior | Crestwood, Ky. | Soccer
Brewer played every minute for the Golden Eagles, anchoring arguably the best defense in program history on her way to All-OVC First Team honors. Her skill pitch helped Tech establish a program records of nine straight matches without a loss and the fewest goals allowed in a single season. The Golden Eagle defense also set school marks for goals against average and save percentage.

Kari Naerdemann | Junior | Herne, Germany | Soccer >>>
Naerdemann became the first player in OVC history to win Defensive Player of the Year three times, establishing new program standards for goals against average, save percentage and goals allowed. The junior earned All-OVC First Team honors while tying the OVC's career mark of 28 shutouts and Tech's all-time career record of 28 wins. She also became the first Golden Eagle to earn United Soccer Coaches All-South Region honors.

<<< Micayla Rennick | Senior | Sacramento, Calif. | Indoor Track & Field
Rennick ran rampant at the OVC Indoor Championships, claiming three event titles in the mile, 800-meter run and 3,000-meter run. She became the first Golden Eagle ever to earn Athlete of the Championship honors after receiving the nod as the league's Female Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, also a program first. The senior established new school records in the mile and 3,000-meter run during the year.

Na'Asha Robinson | Sophomore | Huntsville, Ala. | Outdoor Track & Field >>>
Robinson earned USTFCCCA Outdoor All-American honors after becoming the first female athlete in program history to reach the NCAA Championships, finishing 15^th overall in the 400-meter dash semifinal in Eugene, Ore. The sophomore took home OVC titles in the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash and 4X100-meter relay. She set school and league records in the 200-meter dash and the program mark in the 400-meter dash.

<<< Purity Sanga | Freshman | Eldoret, Kenya | Cross Country
Sanga joined the Golden Eagle roster for the second meet of the year, only to go on and win OVC Women's Freshman of the Year honors and post the program's highest-ever finish at the NCAA South Regional. She claimed All-OVC First Team accolades after placing sixth at the OVC Championships and became just the eighth OVC female athlete to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Championships, not to mention first in school history.

The Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year Award was established in 1994, and 27 winners have been selected in the previous 24 years, including three years with co-winners.

The previous winners are:

1994 – Beth Keylon (Softball)
1995 – Taunya Lovelace (Basketball)
1996 – Stacy Hughes (Softball)
1997 – Diane Seng (Basketball)
1998 – Diane Seng (Basketball/Volleyball/Track)
1999 – Diane Seng (Basketball/Volleyball)
2000 – Diane Seng (Basketball/Volleyball)
2001 – Janet Holt (Basketball)
2002 – Janet Holt (Basketball) / Lupita Hernandez (Tennis)
2003 – Stephanie Dallmann (Softball)
2004 – Lori Bayless (Softball)
2005 – Emily Christian (Basketball)
2006 – Bonnie Bynum (Softball) / Emily Christian (Basketball)
2007 – Bonnie Bynum (Softball) / Beth Boden (Softball)
2008 – Stephanie Fischer (Softball)
2009 – Stephanie Place (Cross Country/Track)
2010 – Tacarra Hayes (Basketball)
2011 – Tacarra Hayes (Basketball)
2012 – Tacarra Hayes (Basketball)
2013 – Diamond Henderson (Basketball)
2014 – Ellie Iaciofano (Basketball/Soccer)
2015 – Danielle Liberatore (Softball)
2016 – Cody Dodd (Volleyball)
2017 – Kari Naerdemann (Soccer)