Lake Forest College soccer and hockey player Michelle Greeneway was selected as the Midwest Conference's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award on Wednesday.
The MWC Woman of the Year award is the most recent of many honors Greeneway has earned during her career. After leading the nation with 33 goals in hockey, she received the 2016 Laura Hurd Award, presented to the NCAA Division III Player of the Year while her 30 scores in soccer last fall, as well as her performance in the classroom, made her a First Team Academic All-American selection in that sport. In hockey Greeneway was also a four-time All-Northern Collegiate Hockey Association honoree and a two-time NCHA Player of the Year. The American Hockey Coaches Association named her a First Team West All-American twice and a Second Team choice her other two seasons. She was a four-time First Team All-MWC selection in soccer, the league's Offensive Player of the Year twice, and an All-American as a junior. The finance major was also named Academic All-MWC and to the NCHA All-Academic Team in each year of eligibility.
Greeneway is easily Lake Forest's career leader in goals and points and a team captain in both sports. Her 104 scores in soccer over the last four years rank tied-for-13th in NCAA Division III history and the 103 times she lit the lamp in hockey rank tied-for-fourth. She is the only woman in any division to surpass the 100-goal mark in both sports. Greeneway owns Lake Forest's top three single-season goal totals in soccer and four of the top six in hockey.
In addition to her performance in athletics and academics, Greeneway has also been involved in numerous other activities and community service projects. She was a member of the Young Alumni Challenge Committee and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Society. She has also volunteered for a number of campus initiatives, including the Lake Forest College Relay for Life, Ry's Run, and the annual "The Sleds Are Coming" event. Greeneway also found time to volunteer with Feed My Starving Children and the Special Olympics and served as a tutor at North Chicago Elementary school.
"Micky is a special kid," began Forester Head Women's Soccer Coach T.R. Bell. "I'm not sure I'll ever coach another player with such raw athletic ability, passion, and pure love to compete. On the field, in the classroom, and across our campus she was a leader and someone everyone in the Midwest Conference can be proud of."
"Michelle embodies the virtues of Division III athletics and has set, in many ways, an inspiring new standard of excellence for commitment in the classroom, in competition, and in our community," commented Lake Forest College Director of Athletics Jackie Slaats. "We are truly honored to have her represent Lake Forest College and the Midwest Conference."
NCAA colleges and universities nominated 517 student-athletes – the most ever in the history of the program – for the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Greeneway is one of 141 conference honorees and one of just 51 from Division III.
In early September, the Woman of the Year selection committee will name the Top 30 honorees, representing the top 10 women in each division. The selection committee will then choose and announce the nine finalists, with three from each division, at the end of September. From the pool of nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will determine the 2016 Woman of the Year.
The Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named at the annual banquet October 16 in Indianapolis.
The NCAA Woman of the Year program has recognized graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership since its inception in 1991.
Greeneway is the third Forester in the last four years to represent the MWC in the NCAA Woman of the Year program, joining 2013 winner Becky Shaak, a swimmer, and 2014 honoree Becky Esrock, Greeneway's teammate in soccer.