Olympian and former Penn athlete Isabella Whittaker voted NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 Honoree

From Ivy League Champion, to Olympian, to finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year … What can't Isabella Whittaker do?

The NCAA has announced a top 30 list for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, an award that has been announced every year since 1991. Taking in a record breaking 627 nominees from member schools, the selections committee eventually narrowed down the field to 30 with only 10 Division I finalists: one of which being the Red and Blue's own Whittaker.

A name that needs no introduction, Whittaker dominated in her time at Penn — topping the indoor and outdoor 400 meter record books while also breaking records in the 4x100-meter outdoor, 4x400m indoor, and 4x400m outdoor relays. This, coupled with successful performances in the U.S. Olympic trials, led to Whittaker being chosen for the Olympics as part of the 4x400m relay pool.

Despite boasting an athletic career any athlete would be jealous of, this nomination is focused on highlighting the often ignored off-the-field careers of student athletes. A leader in the classroom, community, and a voice for underrepresented groups — Whittaker has truly imbued what the Woman of the Year award stands for.

Whittaker was a founding member of the Black Student Athletes at Penn, serving as vice president and alumni relations chair during her tenure. Whittaker also launched the Athlete Ally Chapter on campus, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ athletes at Penn.

Not done serving her community, Whittaker both worked with Young Quakers Community Athletics program, which serves underprivileged youth in Philadelphia, and captained a team for the Make A Play Foundation, which serves student-athletes from underprivileged areas by providing them professional development.

On top of all that, Whittaker also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-American honors from College Sports Communicators and multiple All-Academic honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The selection committee will soon whittle down the competition to nine finalists, three from each division in college. Eventually, during a ceremony in January, the winner will be announced as all 30 honorees are celebrated during the NCAA Convention. With a resume as impressive as any, only time will tell if Whittaker is annointed as one of the NCAA's finest.