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2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees

Women's Volleyball

Popham, McCluskey Named NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Roadrunner swimmer Mikayla Popham and volleyball player Hayley McCluskey have been selected as Cal State Bakersfield's nominees for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. A record of 619 scholar-athletes were nominated from a pool of over 200,000 female participants across all levels of collegiate athletics, as part of a program honoring women for their achievement in academics, athletic excellence, community service and outstanding leadership.  
 
A native of Sunshine Coast, Australia, Popham started her four-year CSUB career hot by winning the 2020 WAC Freshman of the Year award. In just three competitive seasons, not including the COVID-cancelled 2020-21 season, Popham won five conference Gold Medals and was a 10-time All-Conference honoree in the pool.

This past year, Popham wrapped up her CSUB career by winning an MPSF title and becoming a finalist in the 100 Freestyle at the National Invitational Championships. She leaves the Bakersfield program as a school record holder in one individual event and three relays. Popham ranks Top 5 in six different individual events and earned the third-most career victories in CSUB's Division I history.
Popham has also placed herself on the stage for national and international competition as she qualified for and competed in three events at the 2020 Australian Olympic Trails.

Graduating from CSUB with a degree in Psychology, Popham maintained a 3.89 cumulative GPA despite the rigors of her competition and practice schedule. She was selected as a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree in 2023 for her efforts in the classroom and in the pool. Popham will continue her education in a graduate program while competing at TCU this Fall.

The CSUB swim & dive program is one of the most active in the Athletics Department in terms of engaging the community. During Popham's time as a `Runner, she served almost 250 hours of community service, volunteering time to aid organizations and initiatives such as Special Olympics, Mother's Against Drunk Driving, Toys for Tots, Stockdale Elementary School Carnival, and CSUB Education Day.

"Over the past four years," Popham said, "I have gained an immense amount of knowledge through my experiences as a student-athlete and I am proud to say that it has shaped me into who I am today."

McCluskey, who hails from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., just concluded a pandemic-extended career with the `Runners that spanned five years. A two-sport athlete, McCluskey worked tirelessly year-round competing with the CSUB indoor volleyball and beach volleyball teams.

On the courts, McCluskey has been recognized three times by The Big West as a standout performer. She earned All-Big West Honorable Mention in 2021 and 2022 for indoor volleyball before claiming First Team All-Big West honors in Spring of 2023 in the sand.

McCluskey departs from Bakersfield ranked in the Top 10 in CSUB's Division I indoor history for career kills and kills per set. In the beach volleyball record books, she ranks fifth all-time in career wins and Top 10 in career win percentage.

In the classroom, McCluskey worked hard to graduate on time with a bachelor's degree in communications, then spent her fifth and final year of eligibility earning a master's degree in business administration from CSUB.

McCluskey has also been active in Kern County, giving back to the community that fed so much into her collegiate experience. She has donated almost 160 hours of time to volunteering with programs like Running with Angels, Mother's Against Drunk Driving, MARE, Old River Elementary School Reading Day, and the Bakersfield Marathon.

For her overall accomplishments, McCluskey earned the 2023 President Award at CSUB's annual ROWDYs, the highest honor given to a Roadrunner student-athlete.

McCluskey accomplished all of this despite enduring personal tragedy. Over the past two years, the McCluskey Family banded together to support Linda McCluskey, Hayley's mother, in her battle with brain cancer. Linda passed away last summer, but Hayley never missed a game and put her full heart into making both her mother and CSUB proud.

"The impact I feel I'm leaving is to be a strong woman in every aspect of life," McCluskey said. "Life will always find a way to knock you on the floor but as strong women, it is our choice on what we decide to do when that happens."

The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee is made up of representatives from NCAA member schools, including 10 from each division. The committee will meet this month to select the Top-30 nominees, before eventually whittling the field down to three candidates. A winner will be chosen as the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year this fall.

~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

Hayley McCluskey

#18 Hayley McCluskey

OH
6' 0"
Senior
Mikayla Popham

Mikayla Popham

Free
5' 10"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Hayley McCluskey

#18 Hayley McCluskey

6' 0"
Senior
OH
Mikayla Popham

Mikayla Popham

5' 10"
Junior
Free
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