TLU's DeAnna Hernandez among conference-level nominees for 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award
Hernandez and Trinity University's Abby Holland previously were named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference's Co-Woman of the Year and were the SCAC's nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.
The NCAA Woman of the Year program is rooted in Title IX and has recognized graduating female college athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership since its inception in 1991.
Conferences can recognize two nominees if at least one is a woman of color or international student-athlete. All nominees who compete in a sport not sponsored by their school's primary conference, as well as associate conference nominees and independent nominees, were placed in a separate pool to be considered by a selection committee. Four nominees from the pool were selected to move forward in the process with the conference nominees.
Hernandez became TLU's second SCAC Woman of the Year honoree since the institution joined the conference prior to the 2013-14 academic year. Amanda Lochte, another TLU Softball standout, won the award in 2017.
A senior outfielder from Sugar Land, Texas, Hernandez graduated from TLU in May with a 4.00 grade point average as a biochemistry major.
Hernandez, the 2019-20 TLU Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was a four-year letter-winner for the NCAA Division III national champion Bulldogs. She also claimed TLU's Junior-Year Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 2019.
Hernandez was named the 2019 Elite 90 Award Winner for NCAA Division III Softball at the national championship finals banquet. The Elite 90 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average at each national championship. In 2020, Hernandez was named the SCAC's Elite 19 Award Winner for Softball.
Hernandez and the Bulldogs were 19-1 and ranked second in the DIII when the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 2019 SCAC First Team All-Conference selection, Hernandez was a career .340 hitter with a career on-base percentage of .412. She had 37 stolen bases in 42 career attempts.
In the Bulldogs' national championship season, Hernandez hit .367, stole 17 bases, and scored 30 runs. She posted an on-base percentage of .451.
"DeAnna Hernandez is a tremendous example of what TLU Athletics is all about," said Texas Lutheran Athletic Director Bill Miller. "She is an outstanding student and a great player. She is the epitome of a winner. TLU and the TLU Athletics Department are very proud of DeAnna and what she has accomplished. National championships are won with players like her on the team."
"DeAnna has been a selfless teammate the past four years," said TLU Head Softball Coach Wade Wilson. "She had an incredible career both on the field and in the classroom."
Away from the softball diamond, Hernandez was a four-time member of the SCAC Spring Academic Honor Roll, and she made the TLU President's List in all eight of her collegiate semesters.
"I will forever be thankful for the opportunities TLU has given me," said Hernandez. "To the coaches who have pushed me to be better, to the teammates who have become my family, and to the professors who allowed me to succeed, you will always be a part of me, and for that I thank you."
Hernandez and Holland were two of seven outstanding nominees considered by the SCAC Woman of the Year Committee. The other candidates were:
Ann Savage, Basketball, Austin College
Kyra Montes, Soccer, Centenary College
Riley Wadehra, Swimming and Diving, Colorado College
Hannah Ortiz, Softball, Schreiner University
Mary Cardone, Soccer & Tennis, Southwestern University
The Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named this fall.