GREENVILLE, S.C. – Lees-McRae softball recent graduate
Julie Gast has been selected to represent the Conference Carolinas as one of two nominees for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, as announced by the league office on Thursday. Amanda Hamrin joins Gast as the two nominees from Conference Carolinas.
The Taylorsville, North Carolina native led the Bobcats to a program record in wins with 32 this season. Gast ended her five-year career as the all-time leader in runs scored, hits, doubles, runs batted in, and assists. In addition to her prowess in the classroom and on the field, Gast also volunteered in numerous capacities including being involved in SAAC, Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT), Habitat for Humanity, Beech Humanity Trunk or Treat and a peer ally mental health ambassador. She finishes her career as a .314 hitter with 124 runs and 104 RBIs with 46 doubles and 12 home runs.
Gast is the second consecutive student-athlete from Lees-McRae to be recognized by Conference Carolinas as a nominee with women's basketball standout Destiny Johnson being nominated in 2022.
Gast graduated from Lees-McRae with a degree in Pre-Physical Therapy with a minor in athletic coaching and was the 2023 Conference Carolinas softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Murphy Osborne Award Finalist, and a Herff Jones Female Athlete of the Year nominee.
All conference-level nominees are forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee who will choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the three finalists in each division.
Later this fall, the national Top 30 honorees and nine finalists will be announced. The 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix.
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