Two women representing Rutgers athletics received a great honor this week. Amirah Ali from the women’s soccer team and Gianna Glatz from the field hockey team have both been nominated for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
The award was established in 1991. It is intended to recognize female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics, and in academics throughout their college careers. To be eligible, a nominee must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have earned her undergraduate degree by Summer 2022.
Both student-athletes are not new to receiving accolades. Ali was named a 2021 Third-Team All American, making her the program’s first four-time All-American. Meanwhile the Voorhees, New Jersey native registered career single-season highs in points with 30, goals with 12, and assists with 6. She also became the first five-time All-Region honoree in program history.
Glatz – a Medford, New Jersey native – was the top goalkeeper in the nation last season. She was a three-time All-American, four-time First Team All-Big Ten and four-time First Team All-Region. Glatz also won the 2021 Big Ten Co-Player of the Year and Regional Player of the Year. Glatz finished the season with her best career save percentage at 79.6 percent while going 17-4 in 21 games.
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Before a winner is chosen, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee identifies the Top 30 nominees – 10 from each division –and from there they select three finalists from each division. The committee then selects the NCAA Woman of the Year from one of those nine finalists. For the first time in the award’s history, the award ceremony will take place during the NCAA Convention in January.
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