Marshall University Athletics
Sun Belt Chooses Marshall’s Abby Herring As NCAA Woman Of Year Candidate
8/6/2024 2:00:00 PM | Cross Country, General, Track and Field
Parkersburg native’s selection gives Herd an SBC representative for 2nd straight year
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Athletics is proud to announce that Marshall Women's Track and Field and Cross Country standout Abby Herring has been selected by the Sun Belt Conference as one of its two representatives for NCAA Woman of the Year.
The Sun Belt Conference announced Herring as one of its two selections chosen out of representatives from all 14 SBC member schools on Tuesday afternoon.
"It's such an honor for Abby to also be recognized by the Sun Belt as one of our conference office submissions for this phenomenal NCAA award," said Christian Spears, Marshall's Director of Athletics. "She is a fabulous representative of us all and we are so proud of our Daughter of Marshall! She will always be someone who represents the Thundering Herd with grace, class and humility. Congratulations again to our very own Abby Herring!"
It marked the second straight year that the Sun Belt Conference has selected a Marshall representative for one of its NCAA Woman of the Year candidates as Herring joins Macie Majoy from 2023 as those to represent the league.
The NCAA Woman of the Year award was established in 1991 and honors the academic achievements, athletic excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female student-athletes.
Herring was joined in nomination by Georgia Southern's Simone Timm (women's soccer) as the league's two representatives for the 2023-24 year.
"Simone and Abby are All-Sun Belt student-athletes who have balanced rigorous schedules training for their sports and their chosen professions while also serving their local communities," Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill said. "We're thrilled to nominate these model Sun Belt student-athletes for this prestigious honor!"
Herring earned the nomination after a record-setting career in which she rewrote the Marshall record books while becoming one of Marshall's most decorated TFXC athletes in history with 17 career race wins to go along with nine Marshall records and two Sun Belt Conference records.
One of Herring's biggest career achievements is the distinction of being the first woman in Marshall Cross Country history to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Herring was a four-time All-Conference Cross Country runner between time in Conference USA and the Sun Belt. She was a 2024 First Team All-SBC Outdoor and Indoor Track honoree as well as a First Team All-SBC Cross Country honoree in 2022 and 2023.
In addition to her accolades in the sport, Herring was a three-time C-USA Academic Medal (3.75 GPA or higher) recipient while also being named a two-time All-Academic Cross Country selection by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Timm and Herring will now be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee, which will then select the Top 30 honorees – 10 from each division (Div. I, II and III). From there, the committee will choose nine finalists – three from each division – before naming the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year this fall.
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