Leath Named AE Woman of the Year Finalist
May 27, 2009 | Softball
May 27, 2009
Cambridge, Mass. - Senior Christy Leath has been named a finalist for the 2009 America East Woman of the Year award, the conference announced on Wednesday afternoon. The honor recognizes the league's senior female student-athlete who has best distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Leath is one of three finalists from around the league that is up for the prestigious award. Albany's Ashley Ross and Vermont's Kristen Millar are also candidates. The winner will be announced on June 9 and will eligible for the NCAAs Woman of the Year award.
Leath (Saint Charles, Mo.) served as a two-time co-captain for the 2009 America East Champion Boston University softball team, and led the Terriers to their most successful season in program history, amassing 43 wins in 2009 and advancing to the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2003. As the team's starting catcher, she is the career leader in walks (119) and ranks in the top 10 in career RBIs (5th, 113), at-bats (5th, 599), home runs (T-5th, 16), hits (7th, 171) and runs (7th, 101). Leath is a three-time AE All-Conference honors recipient and was the 2007 America East Player of the Year in addition to receiving regional honors from the ECAC and National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA).
Leath owns a 3.49 GPA in therapeutic studies and was named to the America East All-Academic Team each of the three years she was eligible, including 2006-07 when she was the America East Softball Scholar Athlete of the Year. She graduated with Cum Laude Honors earlier this month and has already been accepted into BU's Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy Program. Leath is a member of the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitative Sciences Honor Society and was a Scarlet Key Award Recipient recognizing her senior leadership and service.
She participated in BU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) chapter for three years and served on the Executive Committee her senior year as the community service coordinator. She's volunteered her time for many Boston area organizations, including the the Jeanne Jugan Residence, the Perkins School for the Blind and the Jewish Family & Children's Services CHAI program. Leath organized the student-athlete involvement at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in 2008 and ran in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. She also served as the volunteer coach for the Special Olympics track at Newton North High School.
The three finalists were selected from a pool of the 11 America East institutional nominations, which were announced on May 5. To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2009 spring season, received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2009 term and had a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale).
The 2009 America East Woman of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, June 9 at the conference's Annual Meetings in Burlington, Vt. The winner will then be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The selection committee will select the top 10 winners in each NCAA division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the CWA will vote from among the top nine to determine the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year.
