GREENVILLE, S.C. – The NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee announced the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year Award finalists on Wednesday. Anna Grossheim of UNC Pembroke was named one of the nine finalists.
The last time a Conference Carolinas student-athlete was a finalist was Samantha Mitchell from University of Mount Olive in 2007-08. There were three NCAA Division II student-athletes chosen amongst the nine finalist.
Grossheim carried a 3.99 GPA while earning her degree in sociology from UNC Pembroke before pursuing a master’s in public administration. The Garner, North Carolina native was selected Conference Carolinas Player of the year in 2022 and Freshman of the Year in the fall of 2021. In 2022 she also selected Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s soccer. She is a three-time first team All-Conference Carolinas selection and was named Conference Carolinas Women’s Soccer Championship MVP in 2022. In 2023, Grossheim was named the recipient of the Conference Carolinas Elite 23 Award for having the highest GPA at the championship site. She is a two-time CSC Academic All-America selection and earned United Soccer Coaches first team Scholar All-America recognition once. Grossheim was also named to the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll five times.
Off the field, her service as a firefighter, emergency medical technician and member of an emergency response dive team shaped her ability to handle high-stress situations.
"The life of a first responder is dynamic, challenging and incredibly fulfilling," she said. "In my four years of service, I have assisted in delivering three babies, bringing an individual back to life (who is still alive and well today), ran into burning buildings and performed lifesaving interventions in the direst of circumstances."
Grossheim said these experiences also helped her talk about mental health and create pathways for her soccer teammates to do the same. As a team captain for multiple seasons, she created a partnership with Career and Psychological Services to encourage teammates to take care of their mental health.
"During my time at UNCP, I have encouraged my teammates to be proactive about their mental health and to seek assistance, both in good times and in bad. Advocation for mental health has become an integral part of my role as a captain on my team," she said. "Going forward, I will continue to not only be proactive about my own mental health, but also advocate for the mental health of those around me — in community, in career and in sport."
Established in 1991, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award is rooted in Title IX and recognizes female student-athletes who have completed their undergraduate studies and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.
Selected from a record-breaking 627 nominees submitted by member schools — a group that was then narrowed to 168 nominees at the conference level — the Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. Each honoree has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The honorees represent 15 sports, including three student-athletes representing NCAA Emerging Sports for Women. They have a variety of majors, including cell and molecular biology, neuroscience, biochemistry, civil engineering, sociology, nursing, computer science, sport management and more.
2024 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced on Wednesday, January 15, during an awards ceremony at the NCAA Convention. At that time, the nine finalists and the top 30 will also be recognized. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will choose the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year out of the nine finalists.