INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA announced this afternoon that Lebanon Valley College graduate student Cynthia Adams `14, DPT `16 has been chosen one of 51 Division III conference honorees for the association's 2015 Woman of the Year award.

The 2015 indoor track and field 800m national champion is one of two Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth representatives as Woman of the Year honorees. She originally joined 480 total female student-athletes, an all-time high, as nominees for the award across all divisions last month. She was one of 180 NCAA Division III female student-athletes nominated for the honor. The league office reviewed all nominees from its conference members and selected Adams for additional recognition because of her outstanding achievements during her collegiate career.

RELATED: Adams Nominated for NCAA's Woman of the Year Award

Adams' latest honor comes on the heels of the completion of one of the strongest careers in program history. In March, she won LVC's first-ever track and field national championship, just the second national title in school history, with an 800m victory at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, capping her career as a three-time all-American in the event. Across both indoor and outdoor seasons, she qualified for six NCAA championships overall. In conference competition, she was an undefeated 12-time MAC champion in the 800m, mile, and 1500m, in addition to earning numerous relay gold medals. Adams was the 2014 MAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and 2011 Outdoor Rookie of the Year.

RELATED: NATIONAL CHAMP! Adams Wins NCAA 800m, Harnish Claims Silver 



In addition to her outstanding achievements on the track, Adams has also earned a bevy of academic honors during her career, including spots on the 2015, 2014, and 2013 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America squads, four Capital One Academic All-District nods, six MAC Academic Honor Roll spots, and two MAC Academic All-Conference awards. As she pursues her doctorate in physical therapy, Adams currently holds a 3.61 GPA.

RELATED: Adams, Patrick Named Academic All-America

Each year, the NCAA encourages schools to honor its top graduating female student-athletes by submitting them for consideration for the Woman of the Year award. Conferences assess each nominee's eligibility and select up to two conference nominees. All conference nominees are forwarded to the NCAA's Woman of the Year selection committee. From there, 30 honorees are chosen – ten from each division.

RELATED: Adams Named MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year

The committee then determines the top three nominees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will select from the final nine to choose the 2015 Woman of the Year.

The 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award winner will be announced, and the top 30 honorees celebrated, at the organization's annual award ceremony in Indianapolis on Oct. 18.