On Wednesday, the NCAA named Stony Brook Track and Cross Country alumna Christina Melian one of their nine finalists for NCAA Woman of the Year. Melian was an NCAA All-American in 2015 and a ten-time America East all-conference selection throughout her time at Stony Brook.
According to the NCAA website, the award honors “the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions.” Melian, who was a distance runner for Stony Brook’s Division I Indoor Track and Cross Country programs, is one of three Division I athletes to be considered for the award after the latest round of cuts.
Liberty field hockey alumna Serena Barr and the Oklahoma discus thrower Jenny Carmichael are the other two Division I nominees. The field of nominees was narrowed down from the over 500 female student-athletes submitted to 145 in August, then to 30 on Sept. 6 before the final nine nominees were announced on Wednesday.
The credentials listed for Melian in the NCAA press release include her two years of captaincy for the cross-country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field teams. Additionally, the NCAA highlighted her volunteer work at the Stony Brook University Hospital and the Stony Brook University Cancer Center.
The NCAA also heralded the academic achievements of Melian, who graduated from Stony Brook last spring with a bachelor’s degree in health science. The release cited her 3.92 GPA and inclusion on the university’s dean’s list and the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll each semester of her collegiate career.
Melian is now pursuing a Master’s degree in physiology and biochemistry at Stony Brook. According to her blog, she plans on pursuing professional running.
Melian appeared twice at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and twice at the Division I Indoor Championships. She holds the Seawolves program record for the 5,000 meter with a time of 15:48.77.
The winner of the NCAA Woman of the Year award will be announced at a banquet on Oct. 22 in Indianapolis.
