Lake Forest College women's soccer player Becky Esrock has been named the 2014 Midwest Conference (MWC) Woman of the Year and the league's nomination for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
The Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.
A total of 455 female student-athletes, spanning NCAA Divisions I, II and III, were nominated for the 24th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Esrock is a decorated student-athlete in the classroom and on the soccer field. In the classroom, the economics and international relations major from Missouri earned a 3.94 grade-point average and graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors. Because of her successes both in academics and athletics, Esrock was named the Lake Forest College Freshman, Junior and Senior Scholar Athlete and was selected Academic All-Midwest Conference three times. A team captain for two seasons, she was named Capital One Academic All-America Second Team, NSCAA Scholar All-America Second Team, and Capital One Academic All-District Team in 2012.
Esrock set the Lake Forest school record for goals in a season with 20 and is a three-time All-Midwest Conference honoree and a two-time All-North Region selection. As a junior, Esrock was named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Third Team All-American selection after leading the Foresters to the MWC title.
Unfortunately, the senior captain's final season was cut short due to injury; however, despite being unable to contribute on the field she continued to be an integral part of the Forester program from the sidelines among teammates who Esrock considers family – a unit that provided her strength during the most difficult moments of her college career.
"Rocky was the ultimate competitor both on the field and in the classroom," said Lake Forest Head Women's Soccer Coach T.R. Bell. "Her tremendous will, along with the drive to be the best at everything, helped her overcome personal loss and physical injury. It was a pleasure to coach her and I know she will continue to strive for excellence in everything she does."
Esrock was an active member of the Lake Forest community. She volunteered with the Special Olympics, her sorority, and the Forester Day of Service sponsored by the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth at Lake Forest College.
"I couldn't be prouder or happier about Becky Esrock being named the 2014 MWC Woman of the Year," said Lake Forest Director of Athletics Jackie Slaats. "At Lake Forest College, we take pride in our Tradition of Excellence in academics and athletics and Becky Esrock has not only succeeded, but excelled in her every endeavor on and off the field. She is an incredibly deserving candidate and is someone that—not only Lake Forest—but the entire MWC can take great pride in, and we are thrilled to have her honored for all that she has done to represent Lake Forest College, Forester Soccer, and the Midwest Conference."
In August, the top ten honorees per division will be announced for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. In September, the field of 30 semifinalists will be narrowed to three per division. The top ten honorees and the nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be honored and the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year winner announced at a dinner in Indianapolis in October.
