PELLA—Central College women's track and field and volleyball athlete Krissa Larson (Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) is a nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
           
Established in 1991, the award recognizes graduating female athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their college careers.
           
Larson was a four-time varsity letterwinner and team MVP in both volleyball and track and field. In volleyball, she gained first-team American Rivers all-conference honors last fall after receiving honorable mention the previous three years. She is a three-time league offensive player of the week and was named to six all-tournament teams in four seasons. Larson ranks fifth in school history with 2.87 kills per set for her career.
           
A seven-time indoor and outdoor conference placewinner in track and field, Larson finished second in the conference heptathlon in May. She received USTFCCCA All-Midwest Region Indoor Track and Field honors this year and was a three-time all-conference honoree.
           
Larson receive academic all-conference distinction three times in both sports and was a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree as well. She graduated with a 3.744 grade point average and a history major. Larson also volunteered with Creative Visions in Des Moines and through church and community service activities.
           
"Being a two-sport student-athlete for Central College has influenced and shaped my life," Larson said.
           
Eight previous Central nominees have advanced to represent the state or the conference at the national level.
           
More than 200 Division III student-athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools for the award, with 577 nominees overall, including 125 multi-sport athletes.
           
Conference winners will be announced in August with the finalists recognized at the NCAA Convention in January.

Central College Woman of the Year Award
State winners (1993-2005) or conference winners (since 2006) listed in bold
1993 – Mindi Remsburg, softball
1994 – no award
1995 – Emilie Hanson, women's basketball
1996 – Anne Snider, volleyball
1997 – Stacey Sonnek, softball
1998 – Aanna Hanson, women's basketball
1999 – Katie Bandstra, women's basketball
2000 – Abbie Brown, volleyball/women's basketball
2001 – Candace Wilson, volleyball
2002 – Angie Nielsen, volleyball
2003 – Libby Hysell, softball
2004 – Raegan Schultz, women's track and field, volleyball
2005 – Beth Cunningham, women's cross country, track and field
2006 – Katie Pederson, volleyball, women's track and field
2007 – Alicia Whisner, volleyball, women's track and field
2008 – Terri Berger, volleyball
2009 – Alysha Overturf, softball
2010 – Angie Berry, women's cross country, track and field
2011 – Jill Ziskovsky, women's track and field
2012 – Sarah Paulson, women's golf/basketball
2013 – Melony McDermott, women's track & field/cross country
2014 – Jordan Overland, softball
2015 – Karlee Rock, softball
2016 – Angie Allgood, women's tennis
2017 – Sydney Lunardi, women's soccer
2018 – Kate Patton, women's track and field
2019 – Mariah Fritz, softball
2020 – Emily Opsal, women's golf 
2021 – Sara Tallman, softball
2022 – Krissa Larson, women's track and field, volleyball