GCSU’s Richardson Named the PBC Nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year

AUGUSTA, GA — Georgia College & State University women’s soccer standout Kate Richardson has been selected as the Peach Belt Conference nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year. Richardson was among the six school nominees for the award that were revealed in July and voted as the conference nominee by the league’s Senior Woman Administrators.

From Marietta, Ga., Richardson graduated from GCSU this past spring with a degree in marketing with a concentration in logistics. The 2023 class valedictorian, she finished her academic career with a 4.00 grade point average. A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar, she accumulated a long list of academic accomplishments, among them a CSC Academic All-District Selection, D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards and the PBC Team of Academic Distinction.

“It truly is a surreal feeling to have been selected as the representative from the conference for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award,” said Richardson. “To have even been recognized as one of the candidates for the PBC to select is an achievement, especially among all the great female athletes that compete in the Peach Belt. As a freshman I set extremely high goals for myself in regards to my education and my athletic career. This nomination makes me think I might have reached or even surpassed the goals I had set for myself. Obviously none of this would have been possible without my supportive family, amazing teammates, great coaches, and GCSU as a whole. I look forward to the NCAA’s decision and want to congratulate all other nominees.”

Richardson was also very active on campus, serving as director of intramural activities for the honors, college, a member of the marketing, management and logistics Student Advisory Board, a member of the Dean of Students Advisory Board, mentoring incoming freshmen for the Honors College, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Old Capitols U13 girls squad and a goalkeeper coach at the Georgia Military School.

On the field, Richardson was named second-team All-Conference last season at goalkeeper and leaves GCSU ranking third in career saves, shutouts, minutes, and wins, fourth in goals-against average and seventh in career save percentage.

Richardson will advance to the next stage of the NCAA Woman of the Year selection process. The Woman of the Year Selection Committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the Top 30 honorees, 10 from each division.