Duo represents ACC as candidates for top female student-athlete distinction
 
GREENSBORO, N.C.  (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has nominated NC State distance runner Erika Kemp and swimmer Alexia Zevnik  for the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
 
Now in its 28th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year program honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.  From the group of conference nominees, the top 10 will be chosen from each NCAA division in September.  The selection committee will then determine the top three from each division to make up the final nine finalists. The national winner will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year awards event on Sunday, October 28, in Indianapolis.

 
Kemp earned the seventh All-ACC Academic selection of her track and field career at the end of the 2018 outdoor season. After winning a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the ACC Outdoor Championships, Kemp went on to place first in regional qualifying for the 5,000 meters and earned All-America honors in the event at the 2018 NCAA Championship. The redshirt senior from Mount Holly, New Jersey, was also selected as an ACC Postgraduate Scholarship recipient earlier in the semester. 
 
A double major at NC State, Kemp earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in foreign language and literature, as well as psychology, with a minor in statistics. Kemp posted a cumulative 3.74 grade point average as an undergraduate and was honored as a USTFCCCA All-Academic selection a combined six times in track and field and cross country.
 
Kemp’s extracurricular work included membership in the Wolfpack Leadership Academy. She served on both the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and Captain’s Council at NC State while also working as an undergraduate research assistant.
 
Zevnik capped her collegiate athletic career in 2017 by being named the ACC Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She completed her undergraduate studies at NC State this past spring.
 
A biological sciences and business administration double major from Lasalle, Canada, Zevnik collected three individual gold medals (100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley) at the 2017 ACC Championships in addition to earning gold in the 400 freestyle and 400 medley relays and silver in the 800 freestyle relay.
 
The Wolfpack team captain continued her success at the 2017 NCAA finals, where she was the team's top scorer with two top-10 finishes.
 
The 2017 Most Valuable Women's Swimmer at the ACC Championships, Zevnik was a four-time CSCAA Scholar All-American, earned All-America honors in four different events and was also recognized a 2017 ACC Postgraduate Scholar.
 
Posting a 3.79 GPA as she completed her double major, Zevnik’s extensive list of volunteer work included campus ministry, C.A.R.E. For Animals and Habitat for Humanity. She took part in Read Across America and Swim for Life.
 
Kemp and Zevnik emerged as the ACC’s 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year candidates following a vote of the league’s 15 member schools. The strong list of ACC nominees also included Georgia Tech’s Emily Anderson (softball), Miami’s Wally Layland (swimming and diving) and Sinead Lohan (tennis), North Carolina’s Marie McCool (lacrosse), Notre Dame’s Treasa O’Tighearnaigh (rowing), Pitt’s Andin Fosam (track & field) and Meme Sharp (swimming and diving) and Virginia’s Veronica Latsko (soccer).
 
In addition to the student-athletes participating in ACC-sponsored sports, this year’s group of nominees also included Boston College’s Katie Burt (ice hockey), Florida State’s Vanessa Freire (beach volleyball) and Syracuse’s Stephanie Grossi (ice hockey).
 
NCAA member colleges and universities nominated 581 female student-athletes for 2018 Woman of the Year consideration – the most in program history. Of those nominees, 251 from are Division I schools, 131 from Division II and 1990 from Division III. A total of 170 nominees were multi-sport athletes during their time in college.
 
The student-athletes moving forward as nominees of their respective conferences hold an average GPA of 3.69.
 
ACC member institutions claim three past NCAA Women of the Year honorees. Former Notre Dame soccer standout Elizabeth Tucker was named the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year. Wake Forest’s Annie Bersagel was recognized in 2006, and Virginia’s Peggy Boutilier received the honor in 1998.
 
About the ACC 
The Atlantic Coast Conference, now in its 66th year of competition and 15 members strong, has long enjoyed the reputation as one of the strongest and most competitive intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest continue to build upon the cornerstones on which the league was founded in 1953 with a consistent balance of academics, athletics and integrity. The ACC currently sponsors 27 NCAA sports – 14 for women and 13 for men – with member institutions located in 10 states. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow @theACC on Twitter and on Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).