GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Atlantic Coast Conference nominee Jaeda Daniel of NC State is among nine finalists for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year Award was established in 1991 to recognize graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

For the first time in the award's history, the Top 30 honorees will be celebrated, and the Woman of the Year named at the NCAA Convention. The 2023 Convention will take place in January in San Antonio, Texas.
 
“We are thrilled for Jaeda and her well-deserved selection as one of nine finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Jaeda and all of the nominees from our member schools exemplify what this award represents. We look forward to the presentation during the 2023 NCAA Convention, and we look forward to being in attendance to support Jaeda as the ACC’s amazing finalist of this extremely prestigious award.”

Daniel, a Wolfpack tennis standout, joins eight other finalists who were among an original group of 577 school nominees. The nine finalists consist of three student-athletes each from NCAA Divisions I, II and III.

From those nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then will choose the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year.

Daniel was the 2022 NCAA champion in doubles alongside playing partner Nell Miller, marking the first national title in Wolfpack women's tennis history and putting an exclamation mark on a decorated career.

The Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, native was one of just five players in the nation to be named an All-American in both singles and doubles in 2022, and she also garnered status as a First Team All-ACC honoree. She is the recipient of this year’s H.C. Kennett Award, the highest athletic honor at NC State.

Daniel finished her last campaign with the Pack ranked No. 1 nationally in doubles and No. 11 in singles. She was part of the first duo in Wolfpack women's tennis history to earn a No. 1 final national ranking and surged as high as a career-best No. 8 in singles during 2021-22.

Daniel compiled 24 singles wins this season, with 16 of those victories coming in dual-match play. After playing at the No. 4 singles spot for the majority of the 2021 dual-match campaign, she embraced her leadership role at the top of the Wolfpack lineup. In doubles, she collected a team-leading 34 wins, the fourth-most in a single season by any NC State player.

In total for her three-year career at NC State, Daniel amassed 62 singles wins (ninth in program history) and 79 doubles victories (fifth in program history). She was honored as the national winner of the 2022 ITA Most Improved Senior award.

Daniel received her graduate degree in Textiles while earning a spot on the All-ACC Academic Team for the second time and garnering recognition as an ITA Scholar-Athlete.

In addition to serving as an NC State and ACC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative, Daniel’s volunteer community service work has included Victory Junction Hospital, Rise Against Hunger food packaging, the school supply drive for the Raleigh Salvation Army and the Pack United Toy Drive.
 
Daniel and fellow ACC national champion Gabriela Leon (Louisville track and field) were named two of the 30 finalists in September for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. Leon and Daniel emerged as the ACC’s 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year candidates following a vote of the league’s member schools. The strong list of nominees from member institutions also included:
 
Boston College: Amaka Chukwujekwu (Volleyball); Charlotte North (Lacrosse)
Georgia Tech: Nicole Fegans (Cross Country/Track & Field)
Louisville: Torri Dilfer, Louisville (Volleyball)
Miami: Debbie Ajagbe (Track and Field); Eden Holly Richardson (Tennis)
North Carolina: Rachel Jones (Soccer); Ally Mastroianni (Lacrosse)
NC State: Brandi Hughes (Track & Field)
Notre Dame: Sammi Fisher (Soccer)
Syracuse: Meghan Root (Soccer)
 
To learn more about the award program and previous winners, visit ncaa.org/woty.
 
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 (cross county/track &field) was recognized in 2006, and Virginia’s Peggy Boutilier (field hockey/lacrosse) received the honor in 1998.
 
Of the 577 initial nominees for this year’s honor, 248 were from NCAA Division I schools, 127 from NCAA Division II and 202 from NCAA Division III.
 
The group featured 125 multisport student-athletes, including 78 two-sport student-athletes, 46 three-sport student-athletes and one four-sport student-athlete. The average GPA of the nominee pool was 3.8.