WALTHAM, Mass. – Kelsey Howard (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough HS), a standout for the Bentley University field hockey and women's lacrosse teams the last four years, is Bentley's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Howard, who graduated Magna Cum Laude last month with a degree in accountancy, was a durable student-athlete for both teams as well as a standout in the classroom.

During her four seasons, Howard appeared in 143 of a possible 145 games, including 75 of 75 in field hockey. Her senior campaign saw the two-sport captain earn second-team All-Northeast-10 honors in both sports. Howard was the lacrosse team's second-leading scorer (38 goals, 17 assists, 55 points) and tied for second on the scoring list in field hockey (four goals, one assist).

Howard's career totals in lacrosse included 84 goals, 37 assists and 121 points with her scoring production increasing annually. A midfielder in field hockey, she finished with nine goals, including two game-winners, and 22 points.

Twice during her career, Howard received Academic All-Northeast-10 honors, and she could make that three when the 2016 Academic All-Conference team is announced for women's lacrosse. She was also a four-time All-Academic selection by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.

Away from the field, Howard was involved in a number of community service projects, volunteering or participating with Junior Falcon Day, the Boston Marathon Fight for Air Climb and Light the Night Walk.

Academically, Howard made the President's List twice and the Dean's List five times during her Bentley career.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

This pool of school honorees marks the largest in the 26-year history of the award. Of the nominees for the national award, 231 competed in Division I, 117 competed in Division II and 169 competed in Division III athletics. The nominees also represent 21 different women's sports, and 127 of the nominees competed in more than one sport in college.

The NCAA encourages member schools to honor their top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award.

Next, conferences assess their member school nominees and select up to two conference nominees. The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will then choose the top 30 honorees - 10 from each division. 

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses from among those nine to determine the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year.

The top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 16 in Indianapolis.  Bentley has had a top 30 honoree three times since 2010 (Alyssa Sliney, field hockey, 2010; Lauren Battista, basketball, 2014; Gina Lirange, field hockey, 2015).

NCAA Release