Pine Manor's Courtney Wallace Selected GNAC Woman of the Year
BOSTON, MA Courtney Wallace, a four-time First Team All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference catcher and the valedictorian of the Pine Manor College Class of 2010, has been named 2010 GNAC Woman of the Year.
BOSTON, MA – Courtney Wallace, a
four-time First Team All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference
catcher and the valedictorian of the Pine Manor College Class of
2010, has been named 2010 GNAC Woman of the Year.
“Through community service activities, I have learned the
importance of social responsibility and that helping others only
strengthens the community,” Wallace said. “Through
athletics I have learned some of the most important values:
teamwork, accountability, hard work, mental toughness and
confidence. Without these lessons I would not be the person that I
am today.”
One of the most prolific hitters in Pine Manor and GNAC history,
Wallace was equally adept at the plate as she was in the classroom
and community from the moment she arrived on Chestnut Hill. As a
freshman in 2006-07, Wallace ranked eighth in the nation in runs
per game (1.31) and eleventh in slugging percentage (.879),
beginning a string of eight consecutive semesters as a dean’s
list student and member of the Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee.
A two-sport student-athlete who joined the cross country team
starting her sophomore year, Wallace led Pine Manor softball to a
first-place finish and 31-11 record in her second season. She
ranked in the Top 25 nationally in slugging (19th, .826) and
on-base percentage (21st, .546) in taking the Gators to the
conference finals. Meanwhile, she also began her work as a teaching
assistant in biology as a sophomore, volunteering in speaking to
the board of trustees, coaching an Under-14 softball team and
making the first of three consecutive GNAC All-Academic Teams.
Wallace earned her third consecutive All-GNAC First Team selection
as a junior, volunteering for “Coats for Kids” clothing
drive, “Walk for Hunger” fundraiser, "Pink Zone" cancer
awareness effort (right) and showing leadership on-campus as a
residence assistant for a second straight year. She earned the Pine
Manor Scholar-Athlete award and was named to the GNAC Cross Country
All-Sportsmanship Team in 2008-09, both honors she would renew a
year later.
As a senior, Wallace undoubtedly etched her name in Pine Manor
athletic and academic lore. On April 17, Wallace became the
school’s all-time hits leader in a win over
Emmanuel, surpassing the 200-hit milestone later that evening. She
finished fifth nationally in slugging at a robust .910 slugging
percentage and finished 41st in the nation in doubles, at 0.39 per
game, earning
Pine Manor’s Henry K. White Award for career achievement
in athletics.
She also served as vice president of the science club and
volunteered as a peer writing tutor for international students.
Academically, the senior biology major and English minor was named
valedictorian of the Pine Manor Class of 2010, graduating last
month with a 3.98 grade point average.
This marks the second time in under a year that a Pine Manor
student-athlete has received a league wide honor. Wallace’s
softball teammate Kayla Nielsen was
named 2009
GNAC Sportswoman of the Year last August.
Wallace is now a candidate for NCAA Woman of the Year. According to
NCAA.org, the award “honors graduating student-athletes who
have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers
in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence,
community service and leadership.”
Ten finalists from Division III will be named by the NCAA in
August. The national winner will be announced at the Woman of the
Year Awards Dinner on October 17.
*Article courtesy of Pine Manor College Athletic Communications
