POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference has announced Marist volleyball player Sasha van der Merwe as its International/Minority nominee for the NCAA 2024 Woman of the Year Award.

Established in 1991, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors female student-athletes who have excelled in their community, athletics, and academics throughout their college careers.

During her time at Marist from 2021 to 2024, van der Merwe has demonstrated exceptional performance both on and off the court. Her impressive list of athletic and academic achievements includes:

• Being voted to the 2023 All-MAAC Preseason Team and selected as the 2023 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year.
• Led the MAAC in regular season kills in 2022 and 2023.
• Led the MAAC in points in 2023.
• Earning Molten MAAC Player of the Week honors three times in 2023 and twice in 2022.
• Being named to the 2022 and 2023 All-MAAC First Team and recognized as the 2023 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year.
• Receiving the 2023 ECAC Division I Women's Volleyball Offensive Player of the Year award.
•  Making the ECAC Second Team in 2022.
• Earning AVCA Honorable Mention in 2022 and 2023, as well as AVCA Division I All-American Honorable Mention.
• Being named CSC Academic All-District in 2022 and 2023.
• Securing a spot on the MAAC All-Academic Team in 2022 and 2023.
• Receiving the 2024 Marist Award for Academic Excellence in Accounting

Van der Merwe's nomination highlights her dedication and achievements across all facets of her collegiate experience.

The impact van der Merwe left on Marist volleyball can be found within the team's all time record books as well. Van der Merwe ranks seventh in program history for career kills with 1,128 and seventh for career total attacks with 3,221. She also recorded the second-most and ninth-most kills in a single season in 2023 and 2022, respectively. In 2023, she achieved the fourth-most total attacks in a single season with 1,263.

During her time at Marist, van der Merwe played in a total of 84 matches and 318 sets, collecting 1,128 kills, 3,221 total attacks, 40 assists, 69 service aces, 713 digs, 177 total blocks, and 1,291 career points.