University of Albany Lacrosse All-America Nikki Branchini Chosen America East Woman of the Year - Ualbany sports 2011

Portsmouth, N.H. - University at Albany's Nikki Branchini has been selected the 2011 America East Woman of the Year, as announced on Tuesday, June 7 by Interim Conference Commissioner Shonna Brown. The honor recognizes the conference's senior female student-athlete who has best distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.

As America East Woman of the Year, Branchini's nomination will be forwarded to the NCAA Women of the Year selection committee, who will select the top 10 winners in each NCAA division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) will vote from among the top nine to determine the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year.

Branchini, a defensive midfielder on the women's lacrosse team, led UAlbany to its most accomplished season since the program became a varsity sport in 1992. The Great Danes won their first America East Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's quarterfinal, losing to eventual national champion Northwestern. UAlbany (18-1) was ranked in top 10 nationally in both polls for the first time.

A senior from Guilderland, N.Y., Branchini has a 3.83 cumulative grade point average in history with a minor in education. She was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA District I Academic All-America squad and has made the America East All-Academic Team on three occasions. She was recently awarded an ECAC Merit Medal as the school's top senior female student-athlete and was the recipient of the Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete Award. She has interned at the Albany County District Attorney's Office and at the Albany City School District as a tutor for special education students.

Branchini made her second straight appearance on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-America Team as a second-team selection. She was also voted to the Synapse Sports All-America Team and earned first-team All-Northeast Region honors. During her career, she won or shared America East Player of the Year twice and became the third player in conference history to win multiple top player awards. Branchini is the first UAlbany player to be voted all-region three times and first-team all-conference in all four years. In 2011, she had 21 goals and three assists, plus ranked second nationally in draw controls at 5.26 per game.

Three finalists, which were announced on May 25, were selected from a pool of the nine America East institutional nominations. To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2011 spring season, received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2011 term and had a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale).

In conjunction with the changes in the nomination process for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, the America East Woman of the Year award was established for the 2005-06 athletic season. Beginning in 2006, the CWA started receiving conference-designated nominees in lieu of the previous institution- and state-based nomination format.

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Year-by-Year America East Woman of the Year Honorees

2011 - Nikki Branchini, Albany (lacrosse)
2010 - Emily Pallotta, Boston U. (soccer)
2009 - Kristen Millar, Vermont (lacrosse)
2008 - Sarah Hudak, Boston U. (field hockey)
2007 - Marisa Ryan, Boston U. (cross country/track & field)
2006 - Ashlee Reed, Albany (volleyball)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information