By WJBC Staff
INDIANAPOLIS – Illinois State senior Ashley Rosch and recent Illinois Wesleyan University graduate Jill Harmon have been nominated for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award, the NCAA announced on Tuesday with the release of the names of a record-517 student-athletes vying for the award at three levels.
Rosch, an Illinois State volleyball standout who concluded her collegiate career last fall, is one of 231 nominees at the Division I level. Rosch is one of two nominees from the Missouri Valley Conference, one of whom will be selected as the league’s nominee for the award.
The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
“To be Illinois State’s nominee is really something special for me, and it is such an honor,” Rosch said. “Woman of the Year is such a prestigious award, and to even be considered for it is something that I never expected, so I am just grateful and honored for this opportunity to represent Illinois State.”
A native of Fox River Grove, Illinois, Rosch finished her collegiate career as the first four-time All-MVC First-Team selection in program history, and just the fifth overall in league history. She was twice named the Valley’s Offensive Player of the Week in 2015. She set new career highs in points (31.5 versus Rutgers on Sept. 5) and kills (27 against Jacksonville on Sept. 19) in 2015, while also climbing Illinois State’s career record lists. Rosch finished her career holding Illinois State’s career record for attempts (4,914), while ranking third in kills (1,609), fourth in points (1,821.0) and seventh in digs (1,272).
Rosch was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team for the third year in a row in 2015 and was a nominee for the Senior CLASS Award. A three-time recipient of the MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award, Rosch has been named to the AFNI and MVC academic honor rolls every possible year and semester. She was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 9. Also active in community service and campus activities, Rosch served as Illinois State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council representative to the MVC in 2014-15.
As a senior, Harmon finished third in both the heptathlon and triple jump in the NCAA Division III outdoor championships and was a three-time indoor All-American as she finished fourth in the pentathlon, sixth in triple jump and seventh in 60 meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III indoor championships.
She was named “Field Athlete of the Meet” at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin outdoor championships as she won the heptathlon and triple jump, was second in the 100 hurdles and third in the long jump. She was chosen as IWU’s “Most Valuable Performer” and earned all-conference at the CCIW indoor meet with her first place finishes in the triple jump and pentathlon and second place efforts in the 60 meter hurdles and long jump.
