Each year, the NCAA honors thirty graduating female college athletes across three divisions with the NCAA Woman of the Year program. Sarah Mizel, representing one of ten honorees from Division II, has been selected for this prestigious award.
“Sarah is an incredible young woman who maximized every moment in her college career,” said former Azusa Pacific Acrobatics and Tumbling head coach Kara Willard.
“Her accomplishments inside and outside of the sport are a testament to her character and incredible work ethic. Sarah constantly inspired her teammates and coaches to be present in the moment and take hold of every opportunity. I can’t imagine a more deserving person to receive this type of national recognition.”
A recent Public Relations graduate from Shillington, Pennsylvania, Mizel was a dedicated member of the Acrobatics and Tumbling team at Azusa Pacific throughout her college years, while also actively engaging in university and community initiatives.
In athletics, Mizel made a significant impact on the team’s success, particularly through her specialization in tumbling. Her time as an athlete featured a championship at the 2022 National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association Championships in the duo tumbling pass competition. In 2024, she earned her first-ever NCATA All-America honors and was part of the national runner-up team in the NCATA Championships in 2021.
Beyond her athletic success, Mizel was also a strong leader both on the team and within the university. She served on the Student Government Association and mentored underclassmen as a residential advisor. This spring, she was selected for the Colleen Kausrud Leadership Award, which is is awarded annually to a senior student-athlete who “exemplifies servant leadership throughout her career by:
-Being considered a selfless leader among teammates and coaches;
-Demonstrating leadership in her campus or local community;
-Contributing positively to the sport of Acrobatics and Tumbling through advocacy, education, or training at the youth level.”
Academically, she earned two NCATA All-Academic recognitions, making her one of only two Cougars who have received this honor alongside Beth Magee, who was named to the team each of the first three seasons it was awarded. Mizel also received Division 2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Awards in 2023 and 2024 and has been named to the NCATA Academic Honor Roll in each of her four seasons.
In addition to her academic and athletic commitments, Mizel was heavily involved in community service, both locally and internationally. She was involved in organzing events for a program that provides transitional housing for homeless women in Los Angeles County and served in South Africa with Jabulani Africa Ministries, where she supported Christian leaders and helped rebuild communities by volunteering at a local church to distribute care packages and teaching chemistry to second graders.
