MOUNT ALOYSIUS' KATIE MIRANCE NAMED AMCC HONOREE FOR NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Mount Aloysius College senior women's soccer player Katie Mirance has been selected as the 2020 AMCC Woman of the Year. 

Mirance, a criminology major, also picked up minors in sociology and English, graduating from Mount Aloysius with a 4.0 GPA in May. The women's soccer player received numerous academic honors, including being a Mercy Presidential Scholar, was inducted into the National Criminal Justice Honor Society and Chi Alpha Sigma (the national student-athlete honor society), and was on the Dean's List every semester. Mirance was also named the 2020 Mercy Scholar of the Year, received the 2020 Criminology Department Award, and was also named the Mount Aloysius Female Student-Athlete of the Year.

On the soccer field, Mirance was a two-year team captain and represented the team on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was an AMCC all-conference third team selection and was chosen by her peers to the AMCC All-Sportsmanship team.

Mirance served as a peer mentor and tutor, was on the Mock Trial Team, and was a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She was part of Operation Storybook with the Cambria County Prison where she conducted interviews with incarcerated mothers and recorded audio books to give to their children. Furthermore, Mirance participated in MPOWER, an anti-bullying project through Mount Aloysius, while also participating in a mission trip in conjunction with TOM's shoes where she assisted in distributing 2,371 pairs of shoes to lower-income children. Mirance has accepted a full ride to the University of Delaware and received accelerated acceptance to the PhD program for Sociology. She will be doing a teaching or research assistantship for UD where she will focus on addressing the issue of sexual assault, primarily in the college environment. 

The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee identifies the Top 30 – 10 from each division – and from there selects three finalists from each division. The Committee on Women’s Athletics then selects the winner from the nine finalists.

All 30 Woman of the Year honorees will be recognized, and the 2020 Woman of the Year announced, on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020.

 
BEST OF THE REST: Alfred State College swimming and diving student-athlete Sarah Stevens graduated with a 3.16 GPA in interior design with a minor in interdisciplinary studies. She was an integral part of the Alfred State community, as she served as the head resident assistant and participated in numerous community service projects, such as Ridge Walk & Run, Yards for Yeardly, and the American Red Cross Blood Drive. Stevens earned several academic honors, including the AMCC All-Academic Team and was a CSCAA Academic Team Honoree. Athletically, she was an AMCC first and second team all-conference performer and was also a three-time AMCC Diver of the Year...Medaille College women's soccer and basketball player Amanda Arnold graduated with a 3.99 GPA with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. A leader on campus, Arnold was a tutor and supplemental instructor with the Academic Support Center, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Representative, Becker Campus Representative, and served as the Chief Financial Officer with the Commons Cafe. Arnold's academic honors include being an AMCC Peak Performer, Medaille's FAR award winner, member of Chi Alpha Sigma, and received the New York State Society of CPA's Junior Student Award. Arnold was a member of the 2016-17 AMCC runner-up basketball team...Pitt-Bradford women's bowling student-athlete Jenna Lofaro graduated with a 3.74 GPA in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology. Lofaro founded the UPB Student-Athlete Mental Health Advisory Committee, was the bowling team's SAAC representative, Vice President of Phi Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Phi Omega, and served as the treasurer of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She received the UPB Student Affairs Special Recognition Award and was a four-year member of the AMCC All-Academic Team. Lofaro also earned the Pitt-Bradford Triangle of Success Award, which is given to the student-athlete that contributes the most to their team, campus and community.