RIVERSIDE, Calif. — After the California Baptist University Athletics administration nominated swimmer Mary Hanson for the NCAA Woman of the Year, it was up to the conference to select the two honorees it would move forward in the selection process.

Although Hanson competed in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, it was the Lancers' primary membership with the PacWest Conference that would make the decision, even though it does not sponsor swimming and diving as one of its sports. The PacWest chose to move forward with Hanson and Elyse Cordova, a softball player from Academy of Art.

"I'm very honored to be nominated!" said Hanson, who has been having a good week after recently getting engaged. "I definitely didn't expect it, but I want to say thanks so much to everyone who encouraged and challenged me. I couldn't have had a better support group."

Hanson is one of a record 147 NCAA female-student-athletes to have been named 2015 Woman of the Year honorees by conferences and independent schools. The honorees, selected from the record 480 school nominees, represent college athletes from 18 different sports spanning all three NCAA divisions. Of those recognized, 57 honorees competed in Division I, 39 competed in Division II and 51 competed in Division III.

Now in its 25^th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award recognizes graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. Hanson has shown her excellence in all four categories, with the first two being the most notable at CBU. She graduated with the highest honor of Summa Cum Laude with a double major in mathematics and electrical and computer engineering. She also became the first Lancer to win an NCAA Division II championship, setting a new record in 2014 for the 100-yard back (52.45 seconds). This fall, she will begin her master's degree at the University of Notre Dame.

The Woman of the Year selection committee will next select the top 10 honorees in each division. These top 30 honorees will be announced in early September.  The selection committee will then choose and announce the top-nine finalists (three from each division) at the end of September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from amongst those nine finalists to determine the 2015 Woman of the Year. The top-30 honorees will be honored and the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named at the annual ceremony in Indianapolis on Oct. 18.