(FAYETTEVILLE, NC) - The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors student-athletes for their collegiate achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics. The USA South Athletic Conference's 2011 Woman of the Year and nominee for the NCAA award is Ferrum College senior lacrosse player Cara Jacobs.

Jacobs concluded her collegiate career this spring as a starting midfielder on the Panther lacrosse team. Jacobs was a three-time All-Conference performer earning honorable mention honors in 2008, first team accolades in 2009 and second team recognition this past season. She earned Ferrum's 2011 President's Cup Award which honors an individual male or female athlete who exhibits excellence in academics, athletics, campus and community leadership and character. Off the field, Jacobs has amassed a near perfect 3.97 GPA while majoring in Psychology and appeared on the Dean's List every semester. She was a three-time USA South Academic All-Conference honoree and a team captain for the past two seasons. In 2010, Jacobs was the recipient of the Ferrum Outstanding Student in Psychology Award. She served as a peer tutor and conducted various programs for dorm residents. Off campus, she was a four-year volunteer at the Barnes & Noble Book Fair for Rocky Mount Elementary School. Upon graduation, Jacobs plans to become a police officer.

This honoree's name and accolades will now be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The committee will choose the top ten nominees in each division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. From those nine, the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year will be chosen. The top honorees from each division will be honored at a dinner in Indianapolis on October 16, 2011.

Other student-athletes chosen as institutional Women of the Year were Caitlyn Jansen of Christopher Newport University, Octavia Sha McDuffie of Greensboro College, Katie Allegro of Greensboro College, Gretchen Domaleski of Mary Baldwin College, Kaitlin Flaherty of Methodist University and Jennie Ott of Shenandoah University.

For more information on the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, click HERE.