Chippewa Valley Times

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced its nominees for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year and Division III Commissioner's Association (DIIICA) Student-Athletes of the Year awards.

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Sophie Rausch has been selected as the WIAC's nominee for both the NCAA Woman of the Year and DIIICA Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year awards. UW-Eau Claire's Mitchell Stegeman has been chosen as the conference nominee for the DIIICA Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.

Now in its 34th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service, and leadership among graduating female college athletes from all three divisions. Institutions and conferences submit nominations to recognize female student-athletes who exemplify a commitment to these four areas.

To be eligible, a nominee must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport; completed eligibility in her primary sport; earned her undergraduate degree no later than summer 2024; and maintained a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale.

The Woman of the Year Selection Committee, comprising representatives from NCAA membership, will choose 30 honorees — ten from each division — from conference-level nominees. The Top 30 honorees will be announced in fall. The selection committee will then determine three top honorees in each division from this group to form nine finalists. From these finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will select the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year. The honorees will be celebrated at an award presentation during the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tenn., in January.

Rausch, from Fergus Falls, Minn., was part of UW-Eau Claire's women's ice hockey team. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors after achieving a 3.90 GPA while majoring in exercise science. Rausch received multiple accolades including WIAC Women's Ice Hockey Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award and spots on College Sports Communicators Women's At-Large Academic All-District First Team for two years. She also earned AHCA Krampade First Team All-America Scholar honors in 2023.

A three-time finalist for the Laura Hurd Award given to top players in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey, Rausch holds several records at UW-Eau Claire including career goals and points as well as single-season goals and points. She is a three-time CCM/AHCA All-American and received first team honors from U.S College Hockey Online twice.

Outside sports, Rausch volunteered with Boys & Girls Club and youth hockey teams while participating in Eau Claire Clothing Drive and Chippewa Valley Down Syndrome Awareness Walk.

Stegeman hails from Coleman, Wis., participated in indoor/outdoor track & field teams at UW-Eau Claire where he double-majored in finance/management maintaining a GPA of 3.83 He secured Men's Track/Cross Country Academic All-America Third Team recognition along with multiple USTFCCA All-Academic Team mentions across four years among other scholarships/honors.

Stegeman won two national championships: outdoor decathlon (2023), indoor heptathlon (2024). He is seven-time USTFCCA All-American securing medals indoors/outdoors ranking high within UW-Eau Claire’s leaderboard both events having served Athletes-in-Action member/team captain last seasons

Rausch was selected over other nominees: Jordyn McCormack (softball); Brianna Davis (softball); Maddie McCollins (ice hockey); Abbey Filipiak (golf); Aleah Grundahl(basketball).

Stegeman prevailed over Gervase Thompson(football); Ethan Gregg(cross country/track&field); Justin Blazek(football); Will Morgan(soccer).