The NCAA recently announced that women’s soccer alum Marin McCoy ’19, the program’s all-time leading scorer, is one of only nine finalists selected for consideration for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. Every year, the NCAA honors one woman out of all three divisions who has set herself apart for her achievements in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.

McCoy is the second Swarthmore alum to be named a finalist in the past five years, joining Supriya Davis ’15, and could become the first winner in College history at the awards dinner Sunday, Oct. 20.

Nominees must have graduated and used all of their NCAA eligibility. McCoy, one of only three student-athletes from Division III,  was nominated for the award as the representative of the Centennial Conference, as voted by the senior woman administrators of each member institution.

On the field, McCoy racked up many accolades. In her outstanding four-year career, she tallied 57 goals and 35 assists for 149 points, all Swarthmore records. She earned All-American honors three times: She was named to the second team in 2015 and 2017, and became the program’s only All-America First Team member in 2018. In each of her four seasons, she was named to the Centennial Conference First Team. She was the conference’s Rookie of the Year in 2015 and its Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Furthermore, McCoy was dubbed an Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America in 2018, and was named to the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area team in 2017 and 2018.

With McCoy leading the charge, Swarthmore won two Centennial Conference Championships, made four NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced as far as the national quarterfinals. As a team, the Garnet had their most illustrious four-year span in program history, going 65-14-6 overall.

McCoy, who majored in biology, was also involved on campus and with projects around the globe. She worked as a resident assistant at Swarthmore, a peer facilitator for the Body Project, and a peer mental health leader for Speak2Swatties.

McCoy has also worked with Girls Inc. of Metro Denver as a STEM and body movement instructor for elementary and middle school students, and interned at Rainbow Alley, an LGBTQ drop-in center in Denver that provides support, care, and resources for youth ages 11–18. During her time studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador, McCoy researched sexual harassment and violence to help educate university students.

“By lifting up and expanding access to women, queer, low-income, and nonwhite individuals, I believe sport can embody a transformative and equitable society,” McCoy wrote in the personal statement submitted for her nomination.