Arizona’s Geer Selected Pac-12 Woman of the Year

The University of Arizona’s Margo Geer has been selected the Pac-12 Conference Woman of the Year for the 2014-15 academic year, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced. Geer becomes the Conference’s candidate for the NCAA Woman of the Year, presented annually to graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service and leadership.

Margo Geer (Milford Center, Ohio) is an accomplished student-athlete in the pool and in the classroom, also volunteering in the community. A 27-time All-American, she was a member of the U.S. National Team from 2012-2015, Geer will be traveling to compete at the World Championships in Kazan, Russia, in 2015. At the 2012 Olympic Trials, she placed 12th in the semifinals of 100-meter freestyle and advanced to the finals of the 50-meter freestyle where she placed seventh.

Geer owns the school record in the 100-yard freestyle and won three NCAA titles in her career – one in the 50-yard freestyle and two in the 100-yard freestyle. She also helped to set school records in the 400-free relay and the 800-free relay. She won two Pac-12 individual freestyle titles in 2013, one at the 50-yard distance and another at 100-yards, while also helping the Wildcats win three relay crowns.

A business management major with a 3.66 grade point average, Geer graduated cum laude recording a 4.0 in her final two semesters. She was a two-time Academic All-Pac-12 selection and was named CSCAA Scholar All-American in 2013 and 2014, as well. In 2013, she was the winner in a business communications case competition and has actively participated in business-related research experiments at the Eller Collge of Management.

Geer served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and attended the Pac-12 Leadership Conference which collaborated with all 12 institutions discussing issues associated with student-athletes. She has spent countless hours in the community, spending time at the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Casa Maria Soup Kitchen, Lend a Hand for Senior Citizens, The Havens Women’s Shelter, Special Olympics and local youth groups in a variety of sessions including organizing meets, speaking events and outreach.

Geer is the 10th student-athlete to be named Pac-12 Woman of the Year. Previous winners were: Chiney Ogwumike, STAN (2014); Brigetta Barrett, ARIZ (2013); Hilary Bach, ASU (2012); Annie Chandler, ARIZ (2011); Justine Schluntz, ARIZ (2010); Lacey Nymeyer, ARIZ (2009); Arianna Lambie, STAN (2008); Whitney Myers, ARIZ (2007); Kate Richardson, UCLA (2006). Geer is the sixth Wildcat to earn the honor. Four from the Conference have won the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year honor.

The Pac-12 is allowed to submit a candidate who is a minority or international student-athlete for NCAA Woman of the Year and has selected Zoë Scandalis (San Diego, Calif.) of USC. Scandalis is a four-year letterwinner in tennis and has a 3.86 GPA in political economy.  She is an ITA All-American and helped the Trojans win three Pac-12 titles.

Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member school. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its member schools and submits its conference nominee to the NCAA. The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee selects the Top 30 – 10 from each division and then three finalists from each division. The Committee on Women’s Athletics selects the winner from the Top 9.

All 30 Woman of the Year honorees will be recognized, and the 2015 Woman of the Year announced, at an awards dinner at the Westin Indianapolis on Sunday, October 18, 2015.

Swimming news courtesy of PAC 12 Conference.