LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East Conference has named former Gallaudet University track and field student-athlete Hannah Wetzel (Fremont, Calif.) as the conference's 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee.
Now in its 34th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers. Nominees for the honor meet the four pillars of the Woman of the Year Award: academics, athletics, service, and leadership.
Wetzel graduated with Cum Laude honors in 2024 with a degree in Physical Education and Recreation. Wetzel ended her career as a five-year letterwinner on the women's track and field team participating in both indoor and outdoor seasons.
Wetzel earned the 2024 United East Athlete of the Year award in both indoor and outdoor seasons and finished her career with 14 all-conference honors, eight USTFCCCA All-Region awards, and five separate conference Athlete of the Year nods. This season, Wetzel qualified for the High Jump for both indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships, earning a Second Team All-American award in high jump during the indoor season.
Wetzel currently holds United East records in seven events: High Jump, Long Jump, and Triple Jump, both indoors and outdoors, while also being a part of league-record holding 4x100 relay team. On campus, Wetzel holds school records in seven separate events. Wetzel also holds Deaf Collegiate Records in five events; indoor high jump, long jump, triple jump and outdoor long jump and triple jump.
On the international level, Wetzel competed for Team USA in the Deaflympics and Deaf World Championships. In 2022, she won the Bronze Medal in the Long Jump at the Deaflympics in Brazil while also competing in the High Jump and Triple Jump at those Games. In July 2024, Wetzel competed in the World Deaf Athletics Championships in Taipei, Taiwan, in High Jump, Long Jump, and Triple Jump, earning fourth place finishes in Triple Jump and 4x100 relay and seventh place finishes in both high jump and long jump.
Academically, Wetzel was on the Dean's List six different times and was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. She was also a 2023-24 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree and United East All-Academic awardee as well as a member of the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field team.
Within the Gallaudet community, Wetzel held leadership positions in the Delta Epsilon sorority and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
What they're saying:
"
Hannah Wetzel has been the personification of dedication and commitment to Track and Field for Gallaudet University. Despite being plagued with injuries throughout her collegiate career, she has become the program's most successful and decorated female athlete. Hannah currently holds the High, Long and Triple Jump records for both indoor and outdoor. Wetzel was also involved with our women's 4x100m relay team that broke the school record this recent season. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without her overwhelming investment to her craft. It has been a tremendous treat to have had the opportunity to work with Hannah!"
- Byron Moore, Head Coach, Gallaudet University
"I have known Hannah since she was nine years old from our days at the California School for the Deaf, Fremont where I was her Athletic Director. In my 14 years in the Athletics field, I have simply not seen a person who has constantly outworked every single person and continued to find ways to improve. On top of that, Hannah always showed wonderful character and leadership in everything that she does and so she had an unique opportunity of being one of my student workers at Fremont and then intern here at Gallaudet. I believe she will be the NCAA's selection of Women of the Year, go on to become a Coach, then an Athletic Director, and continue to change so many lives!"
- Warren Keller, Athletic Director, Gallaudet University
Next, the Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the Top 30 honorees — 10 from each division. The selection committee will determine the top three honorees in each division from the Top 30 and announce the nine finalists in November. From those nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then will choose the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the Woman of the Year will be named at the NCAA Convention. The 2025 Convention will take place in January in Nashville.
To learn more about the award program and previous winners, visit
ncaa.org/woty.
Wetzel was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year by Associate Athletic Director for Communications Sam Atkinson
2024 NCAA Woman of the Year Timeline
July – School Nominees released
August – Conference honorees announced
October – Top 30 announced
November – Nine finalists announced
January 2025 – 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year announced at the 2025 NCAA Convention
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