INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – 2025 Presbyterian College graduate Chiara Barbieri, who suited up for the Southeast Regional Champion Blue Hose women’s wrestling team, has become the first-ever PC student-athlete to make the cut of the final 30 nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.
Established in 1991, the annual NCAA Woman of the Year is chosen by a committee who determines that the winner demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service, and leadership.
Barbieri was narrowed down to the top 30 in a record-breaking pool of 631 nominees. The NCAA selects 10 individuals per division, recognizing female student-athletes who have completed their undergraduate studies and distinguished themselves in their community.
The Woman of the Year selection committee will award the honor to one of the top 30 nominees, recognized at the NCAA Convention in January.
BLUE HOSE AMBASSADOR
– Barbieri, who hails from Canada and spent her last two undergraduate seasons at Presbyterian, achieved her PC degree with a major in French.
– On the mat, she won 20 matches during her senior campaign and contributed to a program that realized its highest-ever placement at Nationals last spring (sixth).
– Chiara qualified for the National Tournament in both of her years at Presby, winning a total of 38 matches and beating six opponents that represented nationally-ranked teams in 2025.
– Away from her accomplishments in wrestling, Barbieri was a two-time NWCA Scholar All-American. She was also a JUCO All-Academic first team member while at North Iowa Area Community College.
– She received PC’s Outstanding Senior Award in the French department and was inducted into the Psi Chi and Phi Theta Kappa honor societies.
– While helping Presbyterian break records, Barbieri coached youth wrestling camps and also worked as a tutor for writing, math, and ethics. She volunteered with Special Olympics initiatives, a food bank, a soup kitchen, and numerous community sports events.
– Chiara taught English overseas in South Korea, building relationships with elementary and middle school students. She also contributed to youth fitness testing and charity races.
2025 NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Journey Amundson – Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – Saint Louis
Bethany Arabe – Soccer – Point Loma
Ellie Arndt – Soccer – Wisconsin-La Crosse
Sivan Auerbach – Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – Oklahoma State
Chiara Barbieri – Wrestling – Presbyterian
Natalie Barnouw – Soccer – MIT
Nikki Boon – Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – Emory
Ella Brissett – Tennis – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Paige Bueckers – Basketball – Connecticut
Kimberly DeBoer – Volleyball – San Francisco State
Avery Decker – Outdoor Track & Field – Nebraska Wesleyan
Hailey Gregg – Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – Bethel (Minnesota)
Grace Hartman – Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – N.C. State
Meghan Hunter – Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – BYU
Anna Igims – Cross Country, Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field – Slippery Rock
Ellie Jones – Softball & Volleyball – Belhaven
Kendall Kramer – Cross Country & Skiing – Alaska Fairbanks
Abigail Lee – Golf – Middle Tennessee
Mia Levy – Rowing – Yale
Carmen Llopis Fabra – Tennis – Illinois Springfield
Jacqueline Maze – Soccer – Azusa Pacific
Abigail McCulloh – Swimming & Diving – Georgia
Emily Moehringer – Cross Country, Outdoor Track & Field – Catholic
Mary Kelly Mulcahy – Golf – Findlay
Hailey Poe – Triathlon – North Central (Illinois)
Sam Schott – Softball – UT Tyler
Teagan Starkey – Volleyball – Concordia-St. Paul
Avery Williams – Soccer – Columbus State
Leanne Wong – Gymnastics – Florida
Alyssa Xu – Ice Hockey – Amherst
PREVIOUS NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2024: Alexandra Turvey – Swimming – Pomona
2023: Logan Eggleston – Volleyball – Texas
2022: Karenna Groff – Soccer – MIT
2021: Kendall Cornick – Softball – Augustana
2020: Asia Seidt – Swimming – Kentucky
2019: Angela Mercurio – Track & Field – Nebraska
2018: Keturah Orji – Track & Field – Georgia
2017: Lizzy Crist – Soccer – Washington-St. Louis
2016: Margaret Guo – Swimming – MIT
2015: Kristin Day – Swimming – Clarion
2014: Elizabeth Tucker – Soccer – Notre Dame
2013: Ifeatu Okafor – Track & Field – Texas Tech
2012: Elizabeth Phillips – Running – Washington-St. Louis
2011: Laura Barito – Swimming & Track & Field – Stevens Tech
2010: Justine Schluntz – Swimming – Arizona
2009: Lacey Nymeyer – Swimming – Arizona
2008: Nicky Anosike – Basketball – Tennessee
2007: Whitney Myers – Swimming – Arizona
2006: Annie Bersagel – Runner – Wake Forest
2005: Lauryn McCalley – Swimming – Tennessee
2004: Kelly Albin – Lacrosse – UC Davis
2003: Ashley Jo Rowatt Karpinos – Swimming – Kenyon
2002: Tanisha Silas – Track & Field – UC Davis
2001: Kimberly A. Black – Swimming – Georgia
2000: Kristy Kowal – Swimming – Georgia
1999: Jamila Demby – Track & Field – UC Davis
1998: Peggy Boutilier – Field Hockey & Lacrosse – Virginia
1997: Lisa Coole – Swimming – Georgia
1996: Billie Winsett-Fletcher – Volleyball – Nebraska
1995: Rebecca Lobo – Basketball – Connecticut
1994: Tanya Jones – Track & Field – Arizona
1993: Nnenna Lynch – Running – Villanova
1992: Catherine Byrne – Swimming – Tennessee
1991: Mary Beth Riley – Cross Country – Canisius
