COLUMBUS, Ga. – Columbus State University Women’s Soccer standout Avery Williams has been selected as one of the Top 30 honorees for the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, the NCAA announced this week.
Established in 1991 and rooted in the principles of Title IX, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award recognizes graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and community service.
Williams, a decorated student-athlete for the Cougars, was chosen from a record-breaking 631 nominees submitted by NCAA member schools. The pool was narrowed to 167 conference-level nominees, with the Top 30 including 10 honorees from each NCAA division. Collectively, the honorees represent 14 NCAA championship sports and two NCAA Emerging Sports for Women, with majors ranging from nursing and computer science to sport management and engineering.
A senior from St. Augustine, Fla., she was honored as the 2024–25 Peach Belt Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and has earned numerous accolades while demonstrating a strong commitment to leadership and community service.
Athletic Excellence
- Earned second-team United Soccer Coaches All-America and first-team All-Conference honors.
- Recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each NCAA championship finals site.
Leadership & Service
- Committed 500+ hours to CSU’s Servant Leadership Program, addressing food insecurity and mental health awareness.
- Served as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member, advancing engagement and inclusion on campus.
- Volunteered with TOPSoccer, supporting athletes of all abilities.
- Assisted in the mother/baby care unit at a local hospital.
Academic Distinction
- Named Peach Belt Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
- Earned United Soccer Coaches College Scholar All-America recognition.
- Recipient of the Girls in the Game Scholarship for her academic and leadership impact.
Columbus State Women’s Soccer Head Coach Jay Entlich said, “What an amazing honor for Avery to be selected as a Top 30 candidate. For her to overcome, not one, not two, but three ACL surgeries in 4 years to accomplish what she did in 2024 was truly incredible! Her work on and off the field is a testament to perseverance and grit. In the end, her commitment to work rate and discipline is why she has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. I know she is heading off to Medical School soon, and she will continue her journey off the field in the field of Medicine!”
From the Top 30, the Woman of the Year Selection Committee will select three national finalists from each division. The 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced this fall and formally recognized at the NCAA Convention in January.
