INDIANAPOLIS – Mercer women’s soccer player Washida Blackman and Samford volleyball player Michaela Reesor are among the record 480 female student-athletes nominated for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Now in its 25th year, the Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Blackman was a second-team All-Southern Conference selection and an all-tournament pick this season, helping the Bears to the SoCon tournament title in their first year in the league. Also a third-team all-region selection, Blackman was Mercer’s second-leading scorer this season with a career-high 17 points on six goals and five assists.

Reesor, the SoCon Female Athlete of the Year, was named first-team all-conference and was an all-tournament selection this season, helping the Bulldogs to their second SoCon tournament title in four years. Also a member of Canada’s national team, Reesor finished her career as Samford’s all-time leader in kills (1,639) and total attacks (4,107) and was fifth in school history in career digs (1,059).

Of the nominees, 207 competed in Division I, 93 competed in Division II and 180 competed in Division III athletics.

The NCAA encourages member schools to honor its top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award.

Then, conferences assess each nominee’s eligibility and select up to two conference nominees. All conference nominees are forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee, which chooses the top 30 honorees – 10 from each division.

From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three nominees from each division and announces the top nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics then chooses from among those nine to determine the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year.

The 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced, and the top 30 honorees celebrated, at the annual award ceremony Oct. 18 in Indianapolis.