For Immediate Release
Wednesday, September 18, 2002

USM's Tina West Named 2002 NCAA Woman of the Year for the State of Maine

	GORHAM, Maine  --  Kristina B. "Tina" West, a two-sport athlete at the 
University of Southern Maine, was among the 50 state winners recently announced 
for the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Woman of the Year 
Award.
	West is the second USM student-athlete in the past five years to win the 
coveted state honor.  Heather Gilmour, a four-year field hockey standout and 
present field hockey head coach at Regis College, received the honor in 1998.
	"I was definitely shocked," replied West about her reaction to receiving 
notice of the award.  "I opened (the letter) up and called my mother right away.  
I never believed I had a chance of winning."
	"Tina was an obvious choice as our institutional nominee," commented Al 
Bean, Director of Athletics.  "She is an outstanding young woman, a quality 
athlete and seen as a leader by her peers and the staff.  She has been extremely 
involved in community service projects at USM and in the community at large, and 
is liked and respected by everyone she comes in contact with."
	"(Tina) was a tremendous team leader.  She's the type of leader all the 
other players could count on on and off the field," commented women's soccer 
head coach Steve Quinones.  "She is the perfect example of what a student-
athlete should be.  It was a pleasure to have her around our program the past 
four years."
	"Tina is highly deserving of this honor," added softball head coach Bonny 
Brown-Denico.  "She is a phenomenal young lady with great leadership skills.  
She has the respect of her peers and the entire staff."
	West was a four-year member of the Huskies' women's soccer and softball 
teams, and served as a captain of both squads.  A right back for the soccer 
team, she appeared in 67 games, starting 51, and scored two goals and was 
credited with two assists for six points.  A second baseman-outfielder for the 
softball team, she compiled a career .312 batting average (30 for 96) with 17 
RBI and 25 runs scored.
	She was involved with the University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 
(SAAC), and served as the SAAC President during the 2001-2002 academic year.  
She also was part of the ACES (Athletes Committed to Education and Sports) 
mentoring program, and attended the 2001 NCAA Leadership Conference in Florida
	Among her other activities were coaching at local youth softball and 
soccer clinics, serving as a choreographer and dancer for "Dance USM!" and as a 
musical and dance choreographer at the local high school.
	A Dean's List student every semester, West is a four-time winner of the 
Athletic Department's William Wise Scholar-Athlete Award, and received a 
Cumberland County Outstanding Merit Scholarship four times.  She is presently 
serving an internship in the athletic director's office while finishing her 
degree in communication with a minor in business.
	Since 1991, the NCAA has annually honored female student-athletes who have 
excelled in academics, athletics and community service.  The state winners were 
selected by a committee comprised of representatives from NCAA member schools, 
and chaired by Jacqie McWilliams, assistant athletics director at Morgan State 
University.  The 50 state winners were chosen from more than 340 nominations.
	Ten finalists will be announced later this month.  The NCAA Committee on 
Women's Athletics will select the NCAA Woman of the Year from among the ten 
finalists.  The winner will be announced at an awards dinner Saturday, November 
2, in Indianapolis, Indiana.  This is the 12th year that the Women's of the Year 
Award has been given.