NORFOLK, Va., June 30, 2015 – University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Mariana Alvarado Nava was named the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Woman of the Year, the conference announced today. Alvarado Nava will be awarded the honor during a special on-campus event to be announced at a later time.
The award, selected annually by the MEAC Senior Woman Administrators, celebrates the achievements of senior female student-athletes who have excelled in academic, athletics, service and leadership.
“The MEAC Family is very happy to congratulate Maryland Eastern Shore’s Mariana Alvarado Nava for receiving the honor of Woman of the Year,” said MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas. “Throughout her four-year collegiate career, Miss Alvarado Nava has demonstrated academic and athletic excellence and has displayed an outstanding resume of service and leadership for Maryland Eastern Shore and the MEAC. Further her dedication to her community should be applauded and valued. We salute Miss Alvarado Nava and support her efforts of representing the MEAC in the NCAA Woman of the Year process.”
Alvarado Nava was a four-time All-MEAC student-athlete in bowling, including the 2012 MEAC Rookie of the Year. She was a three-time All-MEAC Tournament Team selection, a two-time captain and a member of the 2012 Lady Hawks National Championship team. In 2015, Alvarado Nava was selected the most valuable player of the Kutztown Invitational and was part of the lineup that bowled a perfect game (300) in Baker play at the Kutztown Invitational. She collected 11,194 total pins in 54 team games and averaged a 207.27 with a high of 279. Internationally, Alvarado Nava bowled in the Youth Pan-American games (2011) and the Bowling World Youth Championship (2012).
A native of Leon, Mexico, Alvarado Nava graduated in 2015 with a 3.71 grade point average in Engineering. She amassed many academic accomplishments before departing UMES, including the Dean’s list (2012-2014) and a member of the MEAC Commissioner’s All-Academic Team for three straight years, including 2015. In 2014, she was named the Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholar Award winner. Alvarado Nava was selected National Tenpin Coaches Association Academic All-American and National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) All-Academic Teams in 2013 and 2014.
Off the lanes, Alvarado Nava volunteered with Wee Hawks Bowling Camp, Relay for Life, Pocomoke Walk for Cancer, Salisbury Zoo, Women’s Center and Garyland Haywood Youth Center. She also contributed her time to the UMES Murphy Residential Housing where she helped in remodeling and decorating the honors housing facility.
Alvarado Nava will represent the MEAC as its nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA established the Woman of the Year Award in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. Now in its 25th year, the award is unique because it recognizes not only the athletic achievements of outstanding young women, but also their academic achievements, community service and leadership.
Bethune-Cookman senior track and field student-athlete Deidra Jordan was the 2015 MEAC Woman of the Year runner-up. Jordan graduated in 2015 with a 3.18 grade point average and earning a bachelors degree in biology.
MEAC Woman of the Year Honorees
2006 Renecia Lovelace, North Carolina A&T State (Softball)
2007 Courtney Smiley, Howard (Basketball)
2008 Jessica Worsley, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2009 Loreal Smith, North Carolina A&T State (Track and Field)
2010 Kalyn Washburn, Delaware State (Bowling)
2011 Kristina Frahm, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2012 Jazmyne Hefflefinger, Delaware State (Bowling)
2013 T’nia Falbo, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)
2014 Christina Epps, Coppin State (Track and Field)
2015 Mariana Alvarado Nava, Maryland Eastern Shore (Bowling)