Madison, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Chelsea Hoff has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) nominee for the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.

All conference nominees have been forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee that will select the top 10 winners in each division (NCAA Divisions I, II and III).  From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division.  Finally, the members of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year.

The top 10 honorees and the nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be honored and the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year winner announced at a dinner in Indianapolis October 17, 2010.

In order to be eligible for the award, female student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2009-10 competitive season, received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2010 term, and achieved a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale).

A native of Middleton, Wis., Hoff was named the WIAC Female Swimmer of the Meet at the conference championship for the third straight season in 2010.  She won the 50 freestyle and 100 and 200 backstroke at the WIAC Championship this year, as well as being a member of the Eagles' first-place 200 and 400 freestyle relays and 200 medley relay.  She also contributed to the second-place 400 medley relay.

After transferring from the University of Iowa following her freshman year, Hoff won nine individual and 11 relay conference titles during her career at UW-L.  She finished her career with 18 swimming NCAA Division III All-America honors, including six in 2010.  Hoff earned seven career individual All-America awards, including a second-place finish in the 100 backstroke and fifth-place finishes in the 50 and 100 freestyle at this year's national meet.  She was second in the 100 backstroke in 2008 and added 11 relay All-America awards in her career.

Hoff holds four individual and four relay records at UW-L, as well as three individual and four relay records at the WIAC Championship.

Hoff boasts a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in exercise sport science-fitness pre-physical therapy.  She was selected the 2010 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Year for the College Division Women's At-Large Team.  Hoff claimed CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team accolades for the second straight year and was the recipient of a NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship.

She was named the 2010 WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete for women's swimming and diving.  Hoff is a nine-time member of UW-L's Dean's List and two-time selection to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.

Hoff has served as a volunteer for numerous events/organizations including:  Steppin' Out in Pink, Kid's Night Out, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Salvation Army Bell Ringer, Princeton Health Club and UW-Health Rehabilitation Clinic in Madison, Wis., UW-Rehabilitation Clinic in Middleton, Wis., and West Middleton Elementary School.  She completed internships with Gundersen Lutheran Health Fairs and Gundersen Lutheran Community and Preventative Care Services.

Additional individuals from the WIAC nominated for this year's NCAA Woman of the Year Award included:  UW-Eau Claire's Hannah Humbach (Madison, Wis./Abundant Life), UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (New Richmond, Wis.), UW-Stout's Julia Hirssig (Rochester, Minn./Mayo) and UW-Whitewater's Ingrid Stensvaag (Palatine, Ill.).