IRVINE, Calif. – Former Concordia University Irvine women's track and field star Sarah Herron has been selected as a Top 30 honoree for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

It's the first time in school history that a CUI student-athlete has advanced this far as a nominee and reached this rarified air.

A 2019 CUI graduate, Herron is one of only ten NCAA DII student-athletes from this past school year to be recognized at this stage in the award process. There are ten honorees from all three NCAA divisions, and from those 30 candidates, the NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee will determine the top three finalists in each division. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will then select the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year from those nine finalists.

Amazingly, Herron was one of 149 conference-level honorees who were nominated and also one of 585 women nominated nationally. It's the largest pool of nominees in the program's 29-year history.

Herron is also the first PacWest student-athlete to be a Top 30 honoree for this award since HPU women's tennis player Nicole Hoynaski in 2017.

"I am very proud to once again represent my school and my team in the NCAA," said Herron. "To be the only PacWest representative to make it this far is very humbling. The PacWest is full of fantastic athletes across all of the teams in our conference; many of whom I competed against during my four years at CUI. I hope I am one of many future CUI and PacWest athletes to represent our program on the big stage."

Herron is currently working as a physical therapy aide at Webster Orthopedics Sports Physical Therapy. While learning from her mentors and coworkers, she is preparing to apply for physical therapy school to advance her career.

The 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at an awards dinner in Indianapolis, Ind. on Sunday, October 20, 2019. Herron plans to fly to Indianapolis and cannot wait to network with the nation's top student-athletes.

"I am so excited to meet all the other amazing women nominated," added Herron. "That will be the highlight of the weekend."

Herron posted a 3.71 GPA and was one of a team-high 37 CUI women's track and field student-athletes who made the Academic All-PacWest team while earning her bachelor's degree in kinesiology. Among her many accomplishments, she represented CUI three times at Nationals, competing in the long jump at the end of the indoor season both her junior and senior years. The San Ramon Valley High School alum also placed 17th at Nationals this past spring to conclude her superb college career. In addition, Herron claimed the title of PacWest Conference champion in the long jump for the second time at CUI as a senior. She previously won the conference title in that event in 2016.

"Sarah Herron has left a legacy of enthusiasm, excellence, and tenacity on and off the track and field," said CUI head track and field coach Keegan Bloomfield.  "Sarah came into CUI and immediately got to work.  She improved in nearly every aspect of our sport all while maintaining an excellent GPA.  In addition to that, she took on leadership responsibilities as a captain and motivator.  She won't soon be forgotten.  She's the only athlete to hit a qualifying mark for EVERY championship we were eligible for."

Herron holds three school records at Concordia, including both the indoor and outdoor track and field records for the long jump. The Danville, Calif. native also partnered with teammates Fatoumata Wague, Tamia Prince and Madison Hergert to set the best mark in program history in the indoor 4x400m relay this past season. At the recent 2019 Senior Awards Banquet, Herron was named Concordia's 2019 Female Athlete of the Year.

"Sarah's accomplishments are truly a testament to hard work and will power," continued Bloomfield. "She refused to let anything get in the way of success.  A lot of people say they work hard and make academics and athletics a priority but Sarah made the sacrifices to back it up."

For the full list of the 2019 Top 30 honorees, click here.

To learn more about the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, the overall selection process and previous winners, click here.