MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- Aurora University cross country/track and field athlete Deyanneira Colon Maldonado and Dominican University softball athlete Emma Woodhouse have been named the recipients of the 2024-2025 G. Steven Larson Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Student-Athlete of the Year for women's sports, as selected by the league's Senior Woman Administrators Standing Committee (SWASC).
Colon Maldonado is the fifth Aurora female student-athlete to be named NACC Student-Athlete of the Year, while Woodhouse is the third Dominican female student-athlete to secure the honor.
Nelson is the third Lakeland student-athlete to be named NACC Student-Athlete of the Year.
This is the second time the award has been shared. The 2018-19 award was shared by Tania Paez of Dominican and Jerica Kotarak of Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Deyanneira Colon Maldonado, Aurora University, Cross Country/Track & Field
An Aurora, Illinois native, Colon Maldonado finished her career as one of the most highly-decorated athletes in the history of the NACC. She secured a total of 10 all-America honors - two in cross country, and four each in indoor and outdoor track and field, while earning a total of five NACC Athlete of the Year honors and winning 18 NACC individual titles.
She was a top-four finisher at the NACC Cross Country Championships in each of her four years, winning the individual title as a junior and senior. Colon Maldonado also recorded four all-region finishes, highlighted by a runner-up finish as a senior. At the NCAA Championships, she twice earned all-America honors by finishing 29th in 2023 and 22nd in 2024.
On the track, Colon Maldonado earned three first-team all-America honors and five second-team all-America honors with her best finish being a third-place result in the 10,000-meter run at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She also placed fourth in the outdoor 1,500 in 2024 and sixth in the indoor mile in 2025, while her second-team all-America honors came in the indoor 3,000 (14th-2024; 10th-2025), indoor 5,000 (ninth-2024), and outdoor 5,000 (ninth-2025; 11th-2024).
In additon to her two cross country titles, Colon Maldonado secured 16 NACC titles on the track. Of those, 10 came at the indoor championships - including a four-year sweep of the 5,000-meter run. She also won the mile twice and 3,000 twice and captured single titles in the 800 and as a member of Aurora's distance medley relay. Outdoors, she won the 1,500 and 5,000 in both 2024 and 2025 in addition to the 10,000 title in 2022 and a 4x400 relay title in 2024.
Colon Maldonado earned a clean sweep of NACC Freshman of the Year/Meet honors during the 2021-22 academic year across the three championships. She also earned Track Athlete of the Meet honors at the 2024 and 2025 NACC Indoor Championships and was named NACC Athlete of the Year five times - securing a lockout of all three sports (cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field) during the 2023-2024 academic year and tacking on awards in cross country and indoor track and field this past season.
Colon Maldonado holds seven all-time NACC records, including the top 6-kilometer race time in NACC cross country history (21:18.0). She also holds NACC all-time indoor records in the mile (4:52.06), 3,000-meter run (9:38.90), 5,000-meter run (16:46.19), and as a member of the distance medley relay (12:11.92). Outdoors, she graduates as the NACC all-time record holder in the 1,500-meter run (4:26.24) and the 10,000-meter run (34:45.80). Colon Maldonado also has five NACC Track and Field Championship records to her name - the indoor mile (5:07.88), outdoor 1,500 (4:35.30), indoor 3,000 (9:54.92), and the 5,000 both indoors (17:17.54) and outdoors (17:08.50).
"Growing up as a child in Puerto Rico and then a young girl moving around the United States, I never imagined it would be possible for me to be a collegiate athlete, let alone a 10-time All-American who also graduated Cum Laude with two degrees," remarked Colon Maldonado. "Such accomplishments have demonstrated what my dedication and resilience can achieve, allowing me to appreciate the personal growth I have had to get here. The path has not been an easy one, but I truly believe that all the challenges and obstacles I overcame to get to this point were paramount in becoming the woman I am today. I have strived to impart these lessons onto those around me and contribute meaningfully to the greater AU and NACC community."
"One of my greatest passions is increasing awareness of women in the STEM industry. Because of this, I joined the Women in STEM club and served as the E-Board Journalist. I loved being in this role because I was tasked with helping craft questions for our guest speakers and curating the newsletter distributed to members. I am a firm believer in learning being a lifelong pursuit, not something confined to the classroom, and I found great joy in helping others recognize its value. I also had the opportunity to publish my work in [Aurora's] environmental literary magazine on conservation, another subject I care deeply about. In addition, I wrote about the Mariposas Migrantes exhibition on our campus for the AU magazine. These opportunities opened my eyes to the power my voice can have on campus and within the broader community.
"Thanks to my athletic success, I have had opportunities to speak to my high school team about pursuing academics and athletics at the collegiate level," Colon Maldonado added. "My high school is predominantly low-income Hispanic students who often lack the resources or representation to view college as a viable option. Through these visits, I hope students can see someone who looks like them and comes from the same background achieving success on a national level in athletics, while being a successful student, and become inspired to set ambitious goals for themselves. I have been told by younger teammates who followed me to Aurora University that I was an inspiration to them, and that is more meaningful to me than any of my individual success could ever be.
"I have never wanted to be defined by a singular thing," she concluded. "I think the most impressive people are the ones who are successful in many facets of their lives [and have worked towards] emulating that in my own pursuits. I believe my academic success has contributed to my athletic performance and vice versa. In all of my pursuits, I have done my best to be a positive, inspirational leader for those around me, just as others have served that role and inspired me. I hope to continue this mission long after graduation."
Colon Maldonado graduated cum laude in May while majoring in biology. She is a seven-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree and a four-time NACC Scholar-Athlete. Additionally, Colon Maldonado is a four-time Dean's List recipient, including twice with honors.
Colon Maldonado served for two years on Aurora's Women in STEM executive board, highlighted by her creation of STEM Snapshots - an easily-consumable science newsletter for Aurora students. She also spent time as an AU Peer Advisor, helping guide students through their academic, social, and athletic experiences, and as an AU Peer Career Specialist, assisting with annual career fairs and the Spartan Attic project, which helps ensure that all AU students had access to interview-appropriate attire.
Colon Maldonado was also annually involved in work at the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and Feed My Starving Children, in addition to making holiday wreaths to be placed on the graves of deceased veterans.
Emma Woodhouse, Dominican University, softball
Woodhouse, a pitcher/outfielder, ended her Dominican career as a three-time all-NACC selection while helping lead the Stars to two NACC regular-season titles, the 2024 NACC Tournament title, and an appearance in the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Championships. She was named to the All-NACC Second Team as a sophomore before being named first-team all-league as both a junior and senior. A versatile player, she was in serious consideration for NACC Position Player of the Year honors as a junior in 2024 before settling in as Dominican's top pitcher in 2025 and earning NACC Pitcher of the Year honors. Woodhouse was also named first-team all-region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) in her final two seasons as a Star and was named to the 2024 NACC All-Tournament Team.
At the plate, the Sacramento, California native hit .343 (110-321) for her career with 13 doubles, four triples, and a home run with 55 RBIs, 60 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases. In the circle, she forged a 56-16 record in 98 appearances with a 2.26 earned-run average, 338 strikeouts, and five saves. Woodhouse also had 36 complete games and 15 shutouts over 448 2/3 innings while limiting opponents to a .243 batting average. She ended her career 10th on the NACC's career lists in shutouts and win-loss percentage (.778) and tied for 11th in both victories and saves while setting a new Dominican program record for pitching wins.
Woodhouse was recognized as the recipient of the 2025 Dorothy Reiner Mulroy Award for outstanding academic ability and leadership and was selected as a 2025 commencement speaker. The Mulroy Award is the highest undergraduate student honor given at Dominican. She achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA while pursuing a double major in neurobiology and chemistry. Additionally, Woodhouse served as a physics tutor, a Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) Leader in the areas of general chemistry and organic chemistry, and an undergraduate teaching assistant in organic chemistry while also performing research in Dominican's Biology and Chemistry departments.
"Throughout my college experience I have found it extremely rewarding to serve others and give back to my peers," remarked Woodhouse in her personal statement. "During my time at Dominican I have become involved in mentorship and tutoring programs allowing me to share my knowledge and help others achieve academic success. [...] During my time as an underclassman I found support and confided in my peer leaders and mentors. Knowing how much they helped me, I wanted to give back to my peers and fulfill that role for the younger students. I genuinely love science and enjoy sharing that passion and knowledge with future mentors and leaders. I was able to foster a love for learning in others and discovered a joy in witnessing the spark of comprehension in my peers' eyes.
"Outside of Dominican I have also found ways to give back," she added. "During the summers, I volunteer for Rock Medicine as an EMT for events. We respond to medical calls and provide patient care to patrons. This allows me to give back to others while doing something I'm passionate about. I have always wanted to work in healthcare as I find the human body fascinating and want to learn as much as possible about how it works and how to treat it. My passion for science and the human body has driven me to take on undergraduate research roles in both molecular biology and chemistry. The opportunity to get an education is such a privilege we often take for granted which is why I strive to make the most out of my opportunity and gain all the knowledge I can. As a double major in neurobiology and chemistry as well as a student-athlete, the many sacrifices I have to make for both academics and athletics are worth it. I hope to take everything I've learned through my college experience into medical school as I continue to use my education to serve others."
"[O]ne of my greatest services is being a captain and role model to my softball teammates," Woodhouse concluded. "As a senior starting pitcher, a lot of the younger girls looked to me to demonstrate how to act and carry themselves. It is important I supported and helped develop them to take on more responsibility in the future. Not only do I lead by example, but I am the first one to pick up our players when they are down on themselves. This role has helped me grow in my own mental toughness while continuing to gain mentorship skills. This passion carries me into providing the same support to young athletes as I can provide not only the skills I have learned but support their mental side of the game as well."
Outside of the classroom, Woodhouse helped organize softball camps and also served two years as vice-president of Dominican's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. As a member of SAAC, she has performed community outreach with organizations such as Opportunity Knocks and the National Ability Basketball League. Woodhouse has also volunteered as an EMT during her summers.
She was a four-time NACC Scholar-Athlete and a three-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection, earning CSC Second Team Academic All-America honors as a senior. Woodhouse was also named to the Dean's List each of her semesters at Dominican and recognized as DU's Outstanding Senior in Chemistry in 2025. Additionally, she was named a recipient of the NACC's FAR Award for excellence in academics and athletics, service to campus community, and determination for success, was inducted into the Nu Rho Psi, Kappa Gamma Pi, and Alpha Chi honor societies, and was named Dominican's 2025 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
About the NACC Student-Athlete of the Year Award
Each of the NACC's 14 members may nominate up to two female student-athletes for the annual award, provided at least one of the institution's nominees is a student-athlete of color or an international student-athlete. The SWASC uses a combination of the following criteria in the selection of the award -- athletic excellence, academic achievement, service and leadership, and personal statement -- and moves the award winner forward as the NACC's conference-level nominee for the NCAA's Woman of the Year award.
Effective with the 2022-2023 academic year, the award was renamed in honor and memory of NACC founding commissioner Dr. G. Steven Larson. Larson oversaw the NACC from 2006-2020, assuming the commissioner's role after 20 years as director of athletics and head men's basketball coach at Edgewood College. During his final 11 years at Edgewood, he also served as commissioner of the Lake Michigan Conference (LMC). Larson passed away in December 2021.
Other 2024-25 G. Steven Larson NACC Student-Athlete of the Year Nominees - Women's Sports: Tegan Oas, Concordia University Chicago, cross country/track and field; Maya Hielscher, Concordia University Wisconsin, track and field; Abigail Hoffmann, Edgewood College, volleyball; Halle Boldt, Lakeland University, basketball; Kendall Pliner, Marian University, softball and tennis; D'Asia Washington, Rockford University, basketbll; Olivia Ship, St. Norbert College, track and field
G. Steven Larson NACC Student-Athlete of the Year Award -- Women's Sports
Recipients By Year
2024-25: Deyanneira Colon Maldonado, Aurora & Emma Woodhouse, Dominican
2023-24: Hannah Nelson, Lakeland
2022-23: Sydney Spaeth, St. Norbert
2021-22: Simone Wilson, Concordia Chicago
2020-21: Ali Wilson, Lakeland
2019-20: Timiya Ray, Dominican
2018-19: Tania Paez, Dominican & Jerica Kotarak, MSOE
2017-18: Chelsee Wilson, Concordia Chicago
2016-17: Holly Haberkorn, Benedictine
2015-16: Nicci Bermudes, Aurora
2014-15: Loretta Johnson, Aurora
2013-14: Jenee Lange, Aurora
2012-13: Torey DeLozier, Maranatha
2011-12: Carol Cayo, MSOE
2010-11: Cait Hartman, Aurora
2009-10: KC Blahnik, Lakeland
2008-09: Megan Scheele, Edgewood
2007-08: Catherine Chappell, MSOE
2006-07: Emily Henrich, Wisconsin Lutheran