Melissa Jones '03 Photo Gallery

MONMOUTH, Ill. – Monmouth College’s Melissa Jones, is in the same company as WNBA star Rebecca Lobo – both have been named finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Lobo actually won the national award in 1995 and Jones, who graduated from Monmouth in May, has been named a Top 10 finalist for the 2003 award.

“It’s quite a surprise,” said Jones, who is pursuing her master’s degree in adaptive physical education at Western Illinois University. “To be named a finalist for the award is an honor, not only for me, but for the faculty and staff at Monmouth College. The Woman of the Year emphasizes the whole person through not only athletics, but academics and community service. To be named a finalist from the field of outstanding women is a credit to the life-lessons I learned while I was a student at Monmouth.”

The award recognizes women in intercollegiate athletics from Divisions I, II and III for their outstanding achievements in athletics, academics and community service.

The 10 finalists for the 2003 NCAA Woman of the Year award include two NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients, and eight of the 10 finalists are or were involved with NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) on their campuses and in their conferences.

Their community service included work with Special Olympics, collecting food and supplies for a sexual assault and domestic violence center, mission trips to Mexico, tutoring children with special needs and more.

Of the finalists, five are from Division I member institutions, two from Division II and three from Division III. They competed in a variety of sports, including gymnastics, fencing, softball, volleyball, basketball, rowing, tennis and indoor and outdoor track and field

Jones, who competed in volleyball, basketball and indoor and outdoor track at Monmouth, is the only multi-sport athlete to be named a finalist.

The other finalists are: Kristin Sterner, Ala. (Univ. of Alabama); Susan Churchwell, Calif. (Cal-Davis); Elia Burrill, Colo. (Air Force); Victoria Courmes, Fla. (Barry); Tiffany Kyser, Ind. (Indiana-Purdue); Joanna Hingle, N.C. (Duke); Ashley Rowatt, Ohio (Kenyon); Kara Lawson, Tenn. (Tennessee); and Erika Proko, Va. (Washington and Lee).

The finalists were selected by a committee comprised of athletics administrators from NCAA member colleges and universities from more than 340 entries. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will select the 2003 NCAA Woman of the Year from among the 10 finalists. The national winner will be announced at an awards dinner November 1 at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott in Indianapolis.

Jones, who graduated from United Township High School in East Moline is the daughter of Marvin and Sandra Jones of Port Byron.

Jones is state winner of NCAA Woman of the Year