Article provided by CWRU Athletics. Read the original on their website.
Cassandra Laios, a recently graduated member of the Case Western Reserve University indoor and outdoor track and field teams, was selected among the top 30 honorees for the prestigious 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
“I am honored to represent CWRU as part of the top 30 honorees for this prestigious award,” said Laios. “Throughout my time participating in athletics I have received so much support from coaches, teammates, and my family. I would never have been able to accomplish what I did in and out of the throwing ring without them.”
The top 30 honorees were selected from an initial pool of 585 school nominees, a program record. From there, the pool was narrowed by conference offices and a selection committee to move forward 151 nominees for consideration. The top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions, and each has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The honorees competed in 13 sports—including, for the first time, equestrian and rifle—and studied a broad range of academic majors, including neuroscience, anthropology, economics, chemical engineering, political science and communication.
“We are so proud of the accomplishments of Cassandra Laios,” said CWRU Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education Amy Backus. “True grit and determination led her to become a national champion. To be named as one of the top ten candidates in Division III illustrates what we know about Cassandra—that she blended extraordinary talent in the classroom and on the field seamlessly throughout her career at CWRU. She is so deserving of this honor and we extend a hearty ‘thank you’ for the pride she continues to bring to our Spartan family.”
Laios recently completed a stellar career at Case Western Reserve. She joined elite company this past spring, winning the 2019 NCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Hammer Throw Championship to become the 15th NCAA Champion in the 48-year history of CWRU athletics, and the first since former Spartan men’s tennis players Eric Klawitter and C.J. Krimbill claimed the 2014 NCAA Doubles Championship.