Navarre named NCAA Woman of the Year finalist

The NCAA announced on Tuesday that Katie Navarre '11 is a finalist for the 2011 NCAA Women of the Year award.  Thirty women, 10 from each NCAA membership division, have been selected as the top-30 honorees for this year's award which will be announced at a ceremony in Indianapolis, Ind. on Oct. 16.

A four-year member of Denison's cross country and track and field teams, Navarre left Denison in May as one of the most decorated runners in school history.  A four-time All-American and two-time Capital One Academic All-America selection, Navarre became Denison's 44th NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship award winner last March.  She was also the recipient of the NCAA's Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics and the prestegious Denison Presidential Medal, the highest honor bestowed on a graduating senior from DU.

In cross country, Navarre posted two All-American performances as a sophomore in 2008 and as a junior in 2009.  In 2008 she placed ninth out of 279 runners at the 6K championship in Hanover, Ind. with a time of 21:17.30.  She followed that up with a sixth-place finish in 2009 after posting a time of 21:57 at the Division III Championship in Cleveland.  That season Navarre captured individual championships at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship meet and the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional meet.  She was named the both the Great Lakes Regional Runner of the Year and the NCAC Runner of the Year as a junior.

In track and field, Navarre racked up a pair of All-American performances at the 2009 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Marietta, Ohio.  She posted a sixth place finish in the 10,000 meters with a time of 36:16.97 to go along with a fifth place time of 17:23.76 in the 5,000 meters.  That year she was named the NCAC's Outdoor Distance Runner of the Year after earning individual conference titles in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs.  Navarre left Denison with four school records in track & field to go along with her seven All-NCAC certificates.

Also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Navarre carried a 3.95 grade point average while majoring in English. She is currently attending graduate school at Northwestern where she is working on her masters in athletic administration.  Navarre was nominated for the NCAA's National Women of the Year award after receiving the Pam Smith Award which honors the North Coast Athletic Conference's Woman of the Year.  In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, Navarre also took time out of her busy schedule to volunteer in the community.  She was a member of the Denison Student Athlete Advisory Council, the Denison Community Association.  Though those organizations she assisted in service projects through the Salvation Army and Soles4Souls.

Now in its 21st year, the Woman of the Year award honors female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service and leadership.  The top-30 honorees were nominated by conference and independent members and represent multiple sports.  Three finalists will be chosen from each division to form the nine finalists for Women of the Year.  All student-athletes selected in the top-30 will attend the awards ceremony in Indianapolis this October.

Read more on the Woman of the Year at NCAA.COM