MORGANTOWN — Amy Cashin (cross country and track & field) and Elizabeth Gratz (rifle) are WVU’s nominees for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
A native of Werribee, Victoria, Australia, Cashin earned all-Big 12 and all-mid-Atlantic Region honors in cross country before claiming second team all-America accolades at the NCAA Indoor Championships last March. Cashin placed ninth in the women’s mile at the national meet, finishing in 4:43.67. She also earned second team all-America distinction during the outdoor season at the NCAA Outdoor championships, registering a 13th-place finish in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in a school-record time of 9:58.75. In all, Cashin has tallied three all-America honors in her collegiate career.
A native of Sigel, Ill., Gratz is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and a two-time first-team honoree. Additionally, she won the Elite 90 Award at the 2017 and 2018 NCAA Rifle National Championships.
Gratz finished second in air rifle at the NCAA championships and helped the Mountaineers capture three NCAA titles from 2015-’17, as well as four GARC championships from 2015-’18. An eight-time National Rifle Association (NRA) all-American, she also is a four-time CRCA all-American. Gratz earned the 2018 GARC Outstanding Senior award and received 12 career all-GARC honors.
Cashin and Gratz are among 581 nominees.
The NCAA Woman of the Year award, established in 1991, honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.
The Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony Oct. 28 in Indianapolis.
Swimming and diving
Mountaineers coach Vic Riggs has announced the addition of nine student-athletes to the women’s roster.
The incoming class features Lauren Beckish, Emma Bliss, Camille Burt, Lauryn Kallay, Reka Kovacs, Bettie Logan, Emma Longley, Abigail Riggs and Megan Zartman.
“This incoming class is one that will continue to move our program into the future as we move into our new facility next season,” Riggs said. “Each brings the qualities that not only make them strong individuals, but make them great Mountaineers. The staff did a great job of identifying these women as individuals who understood our goals and commitment to the program’s future success. I’m looking forward to working with each of them to help reach their full potential here at WVU.”
Abigail Riggs, daughter of coach Vic Riggs, swam at Morgantown High and helped the Mohigans on one of the best girls’ high school teams in the state.
“I chose WVU because I loved the energy of the school and the positive atmosphere of the team,” she said.
“Having grown up in Morgantown, Abigail is a lifelong Mountaineer fan,” Vic Riggs said. “Renee and I have been fortunate to coach her during her high school years, and we are proud parents and coaches that she chose to continue her career here at WVU. A strong mid-distance freestyler with excellent academics, we look forward to watching her develop and be part of our program.”
Women’s soccer
Sophomores Lois Joel and Grace Smith, as well as freshman Issy Sibley, are in camp with the England Women’s U-19 National Team at St. George’s Park in Burton on Trent, England.
Camp opened Wednesday will conclude Tuesday.
All three Mountaineers have been mainstays on the English Youth National Teams. In early March, Joel and Sibley competed with the U-19 squad at the La Manga tournament. Later that month, Joel and Smith competed with the team at the UEFA Elite Round in Slovakia.
