Gugel Selected as Patriot League Nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year
August 11, 2020 | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field, Student-Athlete Academic Support Service
Abigal Gugel of the Boston University women's cross country and track & field teams was selected by the Patriot League as a nominee for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award, as announced on Tuesday.
Named as the school's 2020 Woman of the Year in April, Gugel is one of 161 conference honorees across all three divisions who were nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year. The Woman of the Year Selection Committee will next choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 candidates, the selection committee will determine the top three finalists in each division. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will then select the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine finalists, with the winner being announced this fall.
This is the third time that a Terrier has been nominated by the Patriot League for this award. Emily Tillo (golf) and Valentina Cerda Eimbcke (field hockey) were nominated in 2016 and 2015, respectively, with Tillo finishing in the top 30. Overall, Gugel is the seventh Terrier since 2007 to be a conference nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
"Abby exemplifies what it means to be a Terrier, which is a constant strive for excellence, a constant strive to be elite and an unrelenting desire to become the standard in all areas of your life," director of track & field and cross country Gabe Sanders said. "Abby's tireless work ethic can only be outshined by her humble and giving nature to her teammates and her community. We're so proud of all she's accomplished and the well-deserved recognition she is receiving as a result. We're proud to call Abby a Terrier!"
Gugel won the 2019 Patriot League individual cross country championship thanks to an impressive performance, as she finished 16 seconds clear of her nearest competitor. Gugel then earned Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors after she boasted an impressive 3.61 GPA this fall as a biology major. She is a four-time Dean's List selection and is a four-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in cross country.
"Abby has done a tremendous amount of work in the classroom and on the field to achieve this accomplishment," head cross country coach Paul Spangler said. "She has overcome adversity in athletics to become one of the best in her sport, and at the same time, reached the highest level academically. We are all proud of what she has done and look forward to following her success in life after BU."
While she saved her best performance at the conference meet, Gugel was outstanding all season. She began 2019 with a win at the Harry Lang Invitational and added another top-five finish at the Princeton Invitational, where she crossed the line in fourth to lead BU to its second of three team titles. Gugel then shined brightest at the Patriot League Championship, cruising to a 16-second victory to lead the Terriers to their third Patriot League cross country title. On the track, Gugel was the 2019 Patriot League 5000m champion during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Gugel is a Scarlet Key recipient, one of the highest honors a BU student can achieve. She graduated in May with a degree in biology and will begin her studies at BU School of Public Health's Master of Public Health program this fall, where she'll concentrate in epidemiology and biostatistics. As an undergrad, Gugel served as a volunteer asthma educator, a research assistant and a general volunteer during a two-year span at the Boston Medical Center. She continues to serve as a research assistant with the Global Health Nutrition Lab, studying the etiology of anemia among pregnant women and birth outcomes in Eastern Maharashtra, India. During her sophomore year, Gugel served as a peer mentor, working with a small group of first-year students in the Kilachand Honors College.
