(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 2014 Woman of the Year and nominee for the NCAA award is Meredith College senior women's cross country student-athlete Lara Pantlin.

Pantlin concluded her collegiate career this past fall as a key member of the Avenging Angels cross country team. She was a three-time All-Conference performer and helped Meredith to the program's first-ever Conference Cross Country Championship this past season. For her efforts this year, Pantlin was named the team's Most Valuable Runner. In 2011, Pantlin earned the team's Most Improved Runner award.

Off the course, Pantlin amassed a 3.82 GPA while majoring in Psychology with a minor in Economics and graduated Magna Cum Laude this spring. She has appeared on Meredith's Dean's List five times and on the USA South All-Academic All-Conference Team each of her four years on campus. Pantlin was named Outstanding Senior in Psychology and awarded Top 10 Most Outstanding Seniors of the Class of 2014. She has dedicated her time as an intern on multiple research projects and currently has several documents awaiting review for possible publication in journals. Additionally, Pantlin has served as a student ambassador for Meredith's Office of International Programs, served as a teaching assistant and tutor within Meredith Psychology Department and held various on the executive boards of several on-campus organizations.

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 2013 NCAA Woman of the Year will be chosen.

Other student-athletes chosen as institutional Women of the Year were Kayla Goins of Ferrum College, T'Keyah Henry of Greensboro College, Caroline Brashier of LaGrange College, Rebecca Parramore of Mary Baldwin College, Puja Patel of Meredith College and Laura Baker of Methodist University.

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