The University of Pennsylvania put forward Lia Thomas, a swimmer, as a nominee for the NCAA “Woman of the Year” award.
Yes, you read it right.
According to an announcement from the NCAA, the University of Pennsylvania nominated this transgender athlete for the award, which specifically honors female student-athletes.
The NCAA established this award in 1991 to recognize female student-athletes who have completed their eligibility and distinguished themselves in various aspects like community involvement, athletics, and academics throughout their college careers.
Member schools of the NCAA can nominate up to two female athletes each year, and for this edition, there are 577 nominees in total.
Before the recent season, Thomas had competed on the men’s team at UPenn with modest results. However, she made a remarkable shift upon joining the women’s team, breaking multiple records throughout the season and excelling at both the Ivy League and NCAA championships.
Thomas has been at the center of controversy, facing criticism even from some of her teammates. A group of 16 teammates penned an anonymous letter to UPenn and the Ivy League, urging them not to challenge the stricter NCAA regulations concerning transgender athletes’ participation.
The letter pointed out that Thomas holds a perceived advantage in women’s competitions due to her biological background, moving from a ranking of #462 as a male to #1 as a female.
In December, Thomas finished nearly 38 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher in the 1,650-yard freestyle event.
Apart from Lia Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania also nominated Iuliia Bryzgalova for the award, a tennis player at the university.
