HONOLULU – University of Hawai'i student-athletes Rika Okino of women's volleyball and Katrina Sudweeks of swimming and diving were among a record 605 nominees for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
 
The pair was also among 259 Division I nominees for the award that recognizes graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers. Schools can recognize two nominees if at least one is a woman of color or international student-athlete.
 
Conference offices will then select up to two nominees each from their pool of member school nominees. Then, the Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the Top 30 honorees — 10 from each division. From the Top 30, the committee will determine the top three honorees in each division and announce nine finalists. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then will choose the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be named this fall.
 
Okino, who was the Rainbow Wahine starting libero in 2019, excelled both on the court and in the classroom throughout her volleyball career. On the court, the Honolulu native appeared in 29 matches last season and recorded career highs of 256 digs, 81 assists, and 14 service aces while averaging 2.46 digs per set. Okino, who decided to forego her final year of eligibility after graduating with a degree in civil engineering in May, received the Hawai'i Council of Engineering Societies (HCES) Student Engineer of the Year Award; was recognized as a Big West Academic All-Conference selection in 2019 and was a four-time UH Scholar-Athlete.
 
Sudweeks completed her senior season in 2019-20 earning Mountain Pacific Sports Federation second team honors in the 100 breaststroke. She was a member of four straight MPSF championship teams; was a four-time MPSF all-academic selection; and seven-time Dean's List member. The Oakley, Calif., native double-majored in public health and communicology with a 3.93 grade point average and will be seeking her master's degree at UH in public health. Sudweeks is also active in the community and is a student lobbyist advocating for public health and the Alzheimer Association.