Simon Fraser University middle distance runner Sophie Dodd is one of a record 585 female college athletes who have been nominated by NCAA member schools for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year award, as announced last week.
Dodd graduated from the Beedie School of Business this summer with a 3.59 grade point average.
Her passion is to help businesses actively change the way they view sustainability and social responsibility. During the year, Dodd was the volunteer chairperson for Embark SFU, an independent, student-led not-for-profit that empowers the next generation of student sustainability leaders.
She championed its food rescue program that takes produce that typically is tossed out from an on-campus market and re-distributed it for free to hungry students.
The West Point Grey alumna was also the driving force behind the learning garden, which teaches students how to grow their own produce and develop their garden skills.
Dodd also helped to improve SFU’s sustainability policy as Canada’s first fair trade university and volunteer coached elementary school children weekly.
Finally, Dodd completed a remarkable senior season in athletics, helping to lead SFU cross country to ninth place at the NCAA championships last fall. She followed that with a ninth-place finish at the indoor track championships and an All-American eighth place run at the outdoor championships in the 800 metres. She was recognized as an Academic All-American by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Dodd received the 2019 Bill DeVries Senior All-Around Athlete of the Year Award at SFU.
Established in 1991, the NCAA Woman of the Year award recognizes graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.
There were 131 nominees from NCAA Div. 2. The selection committee will whittle the nominees down to a Top 30 list, with nine finalists being announced in September.
