HWS News
14 September 2017 • Athletics Conboy '17 Named an NCAA Woman of the Year Finalist
Hobart and William Smith Colleges are proud to announce that William Smith swimmer Caroline Conboy 17 is a Top 30 honoree for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Conboy was selected from a pool of 543 nominees for the 2017 award.
Ten women from each of the three divisions make up the top 30, spanning 12 different sports. The top 30 honorees reflect the pillars of the Woman of the Year Award: outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.
This is the third time in the last four years that a Heron student-athlete has achieved this honor, Madeline Buckley '15 was named a top 30 honoree in 2015 and Olivia Zitoli '14 received the honor in 2014. Cynthia Olyer Teerlink '93 was selected the NCAA New York Woman of the Year in 1993 and was as one of 10 finalists for the Woman of the Year award. In 1999, Lisa Krug '99 was named the NCAA New York Woman of the Year, both Teerlink and Krug were honored when the NCAA previously announced 51 state-level winners including the District of Columbia, before narrowing it down to 10 finalists.
"I'm extremely proud that Caroline was selected as a Top 30 honoree," said William Smith Director of Athletics Deb Steward. "She has demonstrated success in every aspect of this award and is a remarkable representative of William Smith Athletics. It's also a great tribute to Hobart and William Smith Colleges and our Heron coaches to have four NCAA Woman of the Year nominees in the past five years with three of those women selected as Top 30 honorees."
In the pool, Conboy repeatedly inked her name in the William Smith record books. She produced 35 record-breaking swims, graduating with the program standards in the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke, and the 100 and 200 individual medley. Her name also appears on the school's record board for the 200 and 400 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay. Conboy won eight Liberty League Championships and four UNYSCSA Championships in her four years on campus.
As a senior, Conboy finished 11th in the 100-yard breaststroke and 12th in the 200 breaststroke at the 2017 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, earning All-America honorable mention in both events. She successfully defended her titles in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the UNYSCSA Championships, earning UNYSCSA Swimmer of the Meet honors and the UNYSCSAs Barbara Radef Award. In 2016, Conboy was a first team All-American in the 100 breaststroke (8th place) and an honorable mention All-American in the 200 breaststroke (16th).
In the classroom, Conboy graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in psychology. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she was a two-time CSCAA Scholar All-American and a 2017 third team CoSIDA Academic All-American. Conboy was a three-time Liberty League All-Academic Team pick and a three-time UNYSCSA All-Academic selection.
In the community, Conboy sought out volunteer and internship opportunities in special education classrooms at grade schools here in the Finger Lakes and in her hometown of Saratoga Springs. She has been a volunteer swim coach with the Geneva YMCA Special Olympics and was active in the HWS College Experience Outreach Club, serving as that group's president in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
"The Top 30 honorees are remarkable representatives of the thousands of women competing in college sports each year," said Sarah Hebberd, chair of the Woman of the Year selection committee and director of compliance at the University of Georgia. "They have seized every opportunity available to them on the field of play, in the classroom and in the community, and we are proud to recognize them for their outstanding achievements."
In late September, the selection committee will announce three women from each division as the nine finalists. From the finalists, the NCAA Committee on Womens Athletics will select the 2017 Woman of the Year, who will be named Oct. 22 at a ceremony in Indianapolis.