Track and field standout Ashley Puga of Northwest Nazarene University has been chosen as a one of nine finalists for the 19th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors senior student-athletes for their collegiate achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics.

Other finalists are Amanda Blumenherst (Duke golf); Ashleigh Clare-Kearney (LSU gymnastics); Julia Hopson (Fredonia State track and field); Dani Huffman (Emory volleyball); Venessa Lee (Pittsburg State cross country & track and field); Tracy Menzel (Kenyon swimming and diving); Lacey Nymeyer (Arizona swimming and diving); and Kathleen Tafler (Grand Valley State soccer).

All nine finalists will be honored and the winner will be announced Oct. 18 during a banquet in Indianapolis. The finalists – three from each NCAA division – advanced from an initial pool of 132 nominees from conferences and independent institutions that was then narrowed to 30 semifinalists – 10 each from Divisions I, II and III.

Puga (Meridian, ID – Nampa Christian), who was selected the 2009 GNAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and NCAA Division II West Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA), is a nine-time NCAA Division II Track and Field All-American and a two-time national champion.

She won NCAA Indoor and Outdoor national titles in the 800 meters last season, setting a GNAC outdoor record with a season best time of 2:05.23. That time is the sixth fastest in NCAA Division II history.

Puga, who placed eighth in the 1500 meters in addition to winning the 800 at the outdoor national meet, was also selected the GNAC and the USTFCCCA Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year. She set school records in the 400, 800 and 1500 and now holds nine individual or relay NNU track records.

In indoor track and field, she won conference titles in the 800 and mile and led her team to a win in the 4x400 relay in earning GNAC Outstanding Performer honors at the conference meet. In cross country, she placed sixth in the conference meet and 16th in the NCAA West Region meet.

In the classroom, she posted a 3.95 grade point average graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration and finance. A member of the Dean's List for all eight semesters of her collegiate career, she was a three-time GNAC Cross Country and Track & Field all-academic selection. She was also a three-time selection to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team.

Puga was also active in numerous extracurricular activities during her career at NNU including serving as a peer mentor and also serving on the Academic Undergraduate Council.

Puga is the second GNAC athlete to be a finalist for the award. Ana Gutierrez, a soccer player at Seattle University, was a finalist for the 2007 NCAA Woman of the Year award.