Taylor named A-R-C’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominee

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Simpson College women's basketball senior Jenna Taylor has been selected as the American Rivers Conference nominee for the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Taylor was also named the College Sports Information Directors of American Division III Women's Basketball Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers. Nominees meet the four pillars of the accolade: academics, athletics, service and leadership.

The Creston, Iowa native graduated from Simpson with a degree in accounting and economics: finance with a 4.00 grade-point average. Taylor is a two-time Academic All-America selection, including the CoSIDA Division III Academic All-America of the Year honor for women's basketball this past season.

As the reigning A-R-C MVP and a member of the D3hoops.com and Women's Basketball Coaches' Association All-America First Teams, Taylor was first in the league in rebounds per contest (9.0) and second in scoring (20.1) this season. She scored over 20 points in six contests, including two 30-point outbursts. Taylor has recorded seven A-R-C Player of the Week honors, with three coming this season.

The 2021 Barborka Award Winner has been a member of several organizations on and off campus. Taylor was a community advisor for residence life, a peer academic leader, an academic mentor for women's basketball, a Meals from the Heartland volunteer, participated in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was part of the mental health organization for student-athletes on campus, Storm Speaks.

From here, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee identifies the Top 30, 10 from each division, and from there selects three finalists from each division. The Committee on Women's Athletics then selects the winner from the nine finalists.