INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Graduate Maria Marti Bartis (Girona, Spain) wrapped up her playing career this past fall as one of the most decorated individuals in the history of Clayton State women's soccer but continues to be in the running for major honors as she has been nominated for the prestigious 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
 
The NCAA Woman of the Year program honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions. To be eligible, nominees must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have completed eligibility in her primary sport.
 
A three-year member of the Lakers women's soccer program, Marti Bartis concluded her playing career third in career goals (37) and points (92) and became the first soccer player in school history, men's or women's, to score double-digit goals in three straight seasons. That pool of players spanned a combined 47 seasons dating back to 1992.
 
An unstoppable player on the field, she was a Daktronics Second-Team All-American in 2014 and was a three-time First-Team Daktronics/D2CCA All-Region selection. The latter made her the first player in team history to accomplish the feat. She was also a three-time All-Peach Belt Conference selection, earning First-Team recognition in each of her final two seasons.
 
In 2016 in her final year, she took it a step further as she was named the PBC Player of the Year, becoming just the fifth Laker to have that honor bestowed upon them by the league's coaches. That same season she would collect her second straight selection to the All-PBC Preseason Team and third PBC Player of the Week honor.
 
Most impressive, however, was her work in the classroom. Over the course of her career she was a two-time College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) First-Team Academic All-America and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
 
She is the only individual in the history of Clayton State Athletics to be named to multiple CoSIDA Academic All-America teams and the only person to land on the First-Team. Along with that she is a two-time PBC All-Academic Team selection.
 
"Throughout my life sports have been a fundamental part in all of the decisions I have made and have shaped me into the person that I am today," said Marti Bartis. "Soccer gave me the opportunity to come to the United States and play the sport I love while simultaneously earning an education and learning English. During my three years at Clayton State I have grown so much as a player and as a person and am honored to be nominated for this award."
 
Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member school. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its member schools and submits its conference nominee to the NCAA.
 
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee selects the Top 30 with 10 from each division and then three finalists from each division. The Committee on Women's Athletics then selects the winner from the top nine. Last year Maia Kuhnen became the first Clayton State nominee to reach the Top-30, which made her one of the Top-10 in Division II.
 
Marti Bartis is among seven nominees from Peach Belt Conference member institutions. Those include Faith Flanders (Softball) and Macy Polk (Tennis) from Georgia College, Cheyenne Thompson (Cross Country/Track & Field) of Montevallo, Taylor Allen (Golf), UNC Pembroke's Amber Watkins (Soccer) and Jeanie Perrucci (Softball) of Young Harris.
 
This is the 27^th year of the NCAA Woman of the Year award and it continues to set new records. This year there are a total of 544 nominees across all three divisions, with 229 from DI, 117 from DII and 198 from DIII.
 
NCAA Woman of the Year - Peach Belt Conference Nominees (7)
Clayton State – Maria Marti  Bartis (Soccer)
Georgia College – Faith Flanders (Softball), Macy Polk (Tennis)
Montevallo – Cheyenne Thompson (Cross Country/Track & Field)
North Georgia – Taylor Allen (Golf)
UNC Pembroke – Amber Watkins (Soccer)
Young Harris – Jeanie Perrucci (Softball)