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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Zhang and Bautista nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

Former point guard Mei-Lyn Bautista and swimmer Emily Zhang, who both graduated in May, are in the running for 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, according to a release Tuesday.

The award honors recently graduated students-athletes’ academic and athletics achievements and recognizes their community services work, the NCAA’s website states. Zhang and Bautista were nominated by the GW athletic department.

Bautista served as the heart of the women’s basketball team last season, providing leadership and experience as one of the team’s three seniors at the time. In her 2019 campaign, she averaged 9.3 points and 3.9 assists per game and was named to the Postseason All-Atlantic Third Team and the All-Defensive team.

During Baustista’s tenure, the Colonials won two Atlantic 10 championships, two A-10 regular season crowns and made two NCAA Tournament appearances.

In the women’s swimming and diving program, Zhang led the squad to match its best finish in program history at the A-10 Championship with seven medals. She was named to the A-10 First Team All-Conference two seasons in a row and was selected for the Second Team her sophomore year.

Zhang ended her GW career with three program records to her name and ranked top-five in program history in five different events. She also excelled outside the water, earning a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team in 2019.

The pair also served outside the pool and court. Bautista took part in more than 20 community service projects focused on children with disabilities, and Zhang tutored and worked as an adaptive swim instructor, according to the release.

Bautista and Zhang will vie with nominees from other A-10 schools. The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee will narrow down the nominees to a final 30 and then select nine finalists. The winner will be announced and all 30 finalists will be honored at a banquet in October.

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