(FAYETTEVILLE, NC) - The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. The USA South Athletic Conference's 2016 Rita Wiggs Woman of the Year and nominee for the NCAA award is Covenant College senior women's soccer student-athlete Ruth Terry. The Conference honoree is chosen through a specific process outlined by the NCAA.

The USA South Woman of the Year Award is named after former Conference Commissioner Rita Wiggs. Wiggs, a tireless advocate of women's collegiate athletics as well a constant encourager of service to one's community, was the USA South's first full-time Commissioner serving the League for 16 years. In the spring of 2016 she was inducted into the USA South Hall of Fame.

Terry, a defender on the Scot women's soccer team, concluded her collegiate career this past fall as a two-time All-Conference performer and a 2015 All-Region team honoree. Terry, a two-year team captain, started 58 of the 63 career matches she appeared in. She scored 15 goals with ten assists while helping the defense compile 24 shutouts.

In the classroom, Terry compiled a 3.65 grade point average while majoring in Community Development and International Studies. Terry was one of just two graduating seniors selected by her classmates to speak at Covenant's commencement. She was a three-time member of the USA South All-Academic Team and made the College's Dean's List seven times. Terry was one of thirteen members of the Covenant graduating class to receive a Maclellan Scholarship. She served on Covenant's student senate for two years and was selected as the Junior Class Vice President. 

In the community, Terry gave many hours of her time in-support of others. She mentored and taught children life skills, both on and off the soccer field, for several organizations including the Chattanooga Sports Ministries, Camp Straight Street and on a team mission to Costa Rica. Additionally, Terry spent a summer in Clarkston, GA with the Friends of Refugees organization conducting field research on how to increase parental involvement in organizational programs while also serving as a bus driver, academic tutor and counselor.

Terry'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 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year will be chosen.

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

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