Jillian Katterhagen was—and is—a household name on the Washington and Lee campus, especially in the athletic sphere.

Before graduating this past May, she was selected as the ODAC’s 2015 nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The Woman of the Year award honors a female student-athlete who has distinguished herself in academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.

Out of a record 480 female student-athletes who were nominated for the award, Katterhagen was one of 147 athletes to be named an honoree.

The honorees come from colleges nationwide and from all three divisions: 57 honorees competed in Division I, 39 honorees in Division II and the remaining 51 in Division III.

Katterhagen recently learned hat she did not advance to the next round of the Woman of the Year selection process, but this fact has not deterred her from feeling grateful for being in the conversation.

“It’s more humbling than anything when I consider the depth of talent and character amongst the women on W&L’s track team, across the sports teams at W&L, and throughout the ODAC,” Katterhagen said. “These women have challenged me and inspired me to grow in so many ways throughout my athletic career and I wouldn’t be in the running for this award if it weren’t for their continued inspiration in my life.”

Katterhagen was a four-year letterwinner and senior captain of the track and field team while she was at W&L. She specialized in the pole vault, claiming the ODAC title in the event six times. Katterhagen also competed in the 60 meter hurdles, 100 meter hurdles, the long jump and the 4×100 meter relay.

She was the 2015 recipient of the Marjorie Berkley Award, which honors the ODAC’s top female scholar-athlete. She was also named the 2015 William McHenry Scholar-Athlete, which honors the top female scholar-athlete at W&L.

Katterhagen earned degrees in politics and history while at W&L. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. She recently began law school at Stanford University.