CHICAGO – Recent softball graduate Kayla Wedl has been named a conference honoree for the NCAA Woman of the Year, the NCAA announced Tuesday (Aug. 10).
 
Rooted in Title IX and directed by the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics, the NCAA Woman of the Year program celebrates the accomplishments of female college athletes across all three NCAA divisions.
 
Of the 535 student-athletes nominated by institutions across the three divisions of the NCAA, Wedl is just 1-of-152 conference-level honorees to be selected. Conference offices reviewed all nominees from their member schools and nominated two individuals for NCAA Woman of the Year honors. Wedl joins Mariah White of the Cleveland State women's basketball program as the Horizon League's nominees for the award.
 
Conference-level nominations will be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee, which will choose the top 10 honorees in each of the three NCAA divisions in September. From those 30 candidates, the selection committee will then determine the top three finalists in each division before selecting the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year from the nine finalists.
 
Wedl, who recently signed a professional contract to play with Athletes Unlimited, capped her UIC career as a two-time Horizon League Player of the Year honoree. Wedl was tabbed a NFCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team honoree this past year in addition to being named Horizon League All-League First Team, Horizon League All-Academic Team, Horizon League All-Tournament Team and a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
 
Wedl became the first player in Horizon League history to lead the conference in all eight offensive categories in a single season en route to helping guide the Flames to the Horizon League Championship and a berth in the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament. The shortstop finished her illustrious career second in program history in career batting average (.378), runs (202), home runs (43), stolen bases (83) and total bases (505).