Denison's Navarre Named 2011 NCAC Pam Smith Award Winner

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Jun 23, 2011

Navarre Bio Sheet

Recent Denison University graduate Katie Navarre (Upper Arlington, OH/Upper Arlington) has been selected as the recipient of the 2011 North Coast Athletic Conference Pam Smith Award.

Navarre, who was a four-year member of the Big Red's cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field teams, earned 12 varsity letters during her career at Denison. The seven-time All-NCAC performer was also recognized as the NCAC's cross country Runner of the Year in 2009 and the outdoor track & field Most Outstanding Distance Runner of the Year in 2009. She was also named the 2009 Great Lakes Region Cross Country Runner of the Year after placing first out of 231 runners at the Great Lakes Regional Championship. She capped off her 2009 cross country campaign by placing sixth at the national meet, the highest finish ever by a Denison runner. The four-time All-American also holds four Denison track & field school records. In addition, Navarre was awarded the 2011 Dale S. Googins Commitment Award which honors a Denison athlete who best displays self-discipline and excellence.

Navarre was presented Denison's Presidential Medalist which is the highest honor bestowed to a student at the institution, recognizing them for their efforts in community service, athletics and academics. Navarre, who is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Sigma Tau Delta English honorary society, also earned the rare accomplishment of being the recipient of two NCAA postgraduate scholarships. The English major, who finished with a 3.96 grade-point average, capped off her collegiate academic and athletic careers with a first-team selection on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-American squad.

In addition to her many athletic and academic accomplishments, Navarre also devoted a great deal of her time to community service, contributing to the Denison Community Association, The Salvation Army and Soles4Souls.

Navarre was one of seven outstanding nominees considered by the selection committee. The candidates were:

  • Amanda Artman, Field Hockey, The College of Wooster
  • Lauren Brady, Cross Country and Swimming & Diving, Kenyon College
  • Emily Bristol, Soccer, Hiram College
  • Amy Cox, Volleyball, Wittenberg University
  • Joanna Johnson, Cross Country and Track& Field, Oberlin College
  • Kat Zimmerly, Cross Country and Track & Field, Ohio Wesleyan

The NCAC Woman of the Year Award commemorates former Wittenberg women’s basketball Head Coach and Associate Director of Athletics Pam Smith, who had a profound impact upon the athletes she coached and the students she taught over an illustrious career that spanned more than two decades. She was the architect of the women’s basketball program with the most wins and highest winning percentage in NCAC history through 2007. A 1999 Wittenberg Athletics Hall of Honor inductee, Smith earned seven NCAC Coach of the Year awards and compiled a 401-170 record after taking the reins of a struggling program prior to the 1986-87 season. She led the Tigers to eight NCAA Division III tournament appearances, twelve 20-win seasons, and 11 NCAC regular season championships.

As the NCAC winner, Navarre will also be nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, one of the most prestigious honors the NCAA bestows. The award recognizes senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service, and leadership. Each NCAA conference, and independent institutions, can nominate one distinguished female student-athlete for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will meet in August to select the top 10 winners in each division. In September, the selection committee will then evaluate the 30 honorees and choose the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the CWA will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the Woman of the Year. The top 10 honorees and the nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be honored and the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year winner announced at a dinner in Indianapolis October 16, 2011.