NCAA
This is the remarkable student-athlete and 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year, Alexandra Turvey
The National Collegiate Athletic Association has announced the recipient of its 2024 Woman of the Year award.

The Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens’ Alexandra Turvey, an All-American swimmer described as “inspirational in and out of the pool”, was announced as the NCAA’s 2024 Woman of the Year on Wednesday.
What is the NCAA Woman of the Year award?
An accolade established in 1991, the Woman of the Year award was created by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to recognize “academic achievements, athletic excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes”.
The winner is selected from a 30-strong shortlist by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, and announced at the annual NCAA Convention, which this year is being held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Turvey on Woman of the Year prize: “Such an honor”
“This is truly such an honor,” Turvey said as she collected her award. “I stand here tonight not just as a single person but as someone who represents thousands of other female student-athletes across the country.
“Today was such an inspiration, getting to spend time and hang out with 30 inspiring, hardworking, intelligent, powerful women.
“When I really think about my NCAA experience, I’m struck by how it can bridge so many divides and really create community in the most unexpected places.”
Turvey a national championship winner with Pomona-Pitzer
A biology major at Pomona College in Claremont, California, Turvey helped Pomona-Pitzer’s swimming and diving team to the US title in the 200 and 400-yard freestyle relays in 2024. They were the program’s first national championships since 1984.
“Exemplifies what a student and athlete is”
Fellow swimmer Val Mello lauded Turvey’s “huge” impact on Pomona-Pitzer athletics, in addition to praising the “ground-breaking” scientific research work she did as a student-athlete. According to the NCAA, Turvey had three papers published in scientific journals.
Former Sagehens team-mate Francesco Coppo said: “She’s inspirational in and out of the pool. It was great to have her as a role model. She was a super motivated swimmer, a super motivated student and just a really good friend.”
Another team-mate, Gabbi Calvi, added: “I’ve never met someone who has the work ethic that she does, and she really tries to spread that to other people.”
JP Gowdy, Pomona-Pitzer’s head coach of swimming and diving, concluded: “I think she exemplifies for me what a student and athlete is. And she just did it exceptionally well.”
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