From Washington University Athletics
Alison Lindsay, a 2018 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, was selected as a 2019 Today's Top 10 Award winner as announced by the NCAA.
The award recognizes former student-athletes for their successes on the field, in the classroom and in the community. All 10 winners of the 2019 awards will be recognized in January at the Honors Celebration during the NCAA Convention in Orlando.
Lindsay is the latest addition to WashU honorees as the Bears have been recipients of the honor in three of the past four years, including multiple selections last year. The previous honorees include: Amy Albers (1995, volleyball), Alia Fisher (2001, women's basketball), Elizabeth Phillips (2013, women's cross country/track), Lucy Cheadle (2016, women's cross country/track), Lizzy Crist (2018, women's soccer) and Deko Ricketts (2018, men's track & field).
"Alison's heart was all about something much bigger than herself and her attitude permeated throughout the entire team, which resulted in more and more conversations with athletes of how they could better serve the team" shared WashU head cross country and track & field coach Jeff Stiles. "Alison was one of the biggest culture changers/enhancers we have ever had in the Red & Green. The WashU cross country/track & field program is forever indebted to Alison for leaving it more selfless than ever before."
The nine-time All-American competed in 12 of 12 possible national championships for the Bears and helped WashU to trophy finishes (top-four) 10 times, including the program's first Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field National Titles in 2017.
"I'm really a small part of an incredible tradition," said Lindsay. "I hope people see that the real story behind the award and our team's success is the culture of love for each other and commitment to something bigger than individual performances."
Lindsay was selected as one of the University Athletic Association (UAA) nominations for the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year Award because her accomplishments were not limited to athletics.
"Alison embodies the definition of a WashU Athletics' scholar-champion" noted Anthony J. Azama, Director of Athletics, "while simultaneously serving as a great ambassador for the entire university."
The Alexandria, Va.-native concluded her studies at WashU with a 3.96 grade point average after double majoring in political science and French. She was selected as a Google Cloud/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America honoree three times.
In addition to serving as a team captain, Lindsay was a fundraising team member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She was also the president of the Association of Christian Truth Seekers (ACTS) Campus Ministry.
In 2017, Lindsay was a volunteer intern for the Migrant and Immigrant Community Action Project, where she assisted attorneys with casework and administrative work at a non-profit law office.
Upon learning of her honor, Lindsay was able to lean on her teammate of three-years, Deko Ricketts for advice.
"Deko said to soak it all in and take time to get to know the award winners," shared Lindsay. "He pointed out that it is both an opportunity to reflect on the incredible four years I was blessed to experience at WashU and a time to look ahead and be inspired for what's next."