The University of Pennsylvania nominated swimmer Lia Thomas for the NCAA “Woman of the Year” award.
You read that correctly.
According to an announcement from the NCAA, the University of Pennsylvania nominated the transgender athlete for the award, which recognizes female student-athletes.
“Established in 1991, the award recognizes female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers,” the NCAA nomination page reads. NCAA member schools “are encouraged to celebrate their top graduating female student-athletes by nominating them for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award,” the announcement reads.
Up to two female athletes can be nominated by eligible schools and this year, there is a total of 577 nominees.
Prior to this past season, Thomas had competed on the UPenn men’s team with not-so-good results, before breaking out as a member of the women’s team, setting numerous records over the course of the season and dominating at both the Ivy League and NCAA championships.
Thomas has been at the center of controversy and even drew criticism from her teammates. 16 of them actually wrote an anonymous letter to UPenn and the Ivy League imploring them not to challenge stricter NCAA rules for transgender athletes’ participation.
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“Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the women’s category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female,” reads the letter.
Last Deceber, Thomas finished nearly 38 seconds before the second-place finisher in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
The University of Pennsylvania also nominated Iuliia Bryzgalova for the award, who plays tennis at the school.
