Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Bre Geary has been named a finalist for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year. She is the fifth Prairie Wolf to be recognized as a top 30 honoree, marking a significant milestone in NWU Athletics.
"This is an incredible honor for Bre and the Nebraska Wesleyan community," said Head Coach Derrick McKenzie. "Bre has been a role model in every sense of the word. I have been fortunate to recruit and coach some amazing student-athletes in my career. Geary is one of the highest achievers I have ever been around."
The NCAA Woman of the Year Award was established in 1991 and honors female student athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics, leadership, and community service throughout their collegiate careers.
Geary, a standout in track and field, was a multiple-time NCAA Division III national qualifier and earned All-American honors for her performance on the 4x400 meter relay teams at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. She captured seven all-conference honors.
Geary also appears on the Nebraska Wesleyan Top-10 charts six times in the 60 meter, 100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter, and long jump, further solidifying her legacy as one of the most decorated athletes in the program's history.
Off the track, Geary was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District, and a three-time All-Conference Academic honoree. As a sport management major, she maintained an exceptional 3.82 GPA. Geary was selected to attend the 2023 NCAA Division III Immersion Program and the 2024 NCAA Career in Sports Forum.
“From her leadership skills on the track, her academic engagement, and ability to be an ambassador for NWU, there is nobody better to get this award," said McKenzie. "As great and well-rounded of a track athlete as she was, Geary was an even better person. This achievement is no surprise to me."
Selected from a pool of nominees submitted by member schools, the Top 30 honorees include 10 women from each of the NCAA's three divisions. Each honoree has shown a commitment to academic and athletic excellence, community service, and leadership.
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee will narrow the field to three honorees from each NCAA division, for a total of nine finalists. From these finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will select the winner, who will be announced and celebrated at the NCAA Convention in January.