Female Athlete of the Year nominees

Emma Erickson

The freshman from Gayville, S.D., won a national title in the women's 800-meter run at last month's Division II indoor track and field championship meet in Mankato, Minn.

Erickson earned three All-American honors at the championships and was also a member of the distance medley relay team, which finished second in the nation.

She was also a member of the USD cross country team that captured ninth place at last fall's D-II cross country championship meet.

Ramsey Kavan

Kavan, a sophomore from Yankton, finished ninth at last November's Division II cross country meet in Joplin, Mo. She recorded a time of 20:49.4, which was the third-best finish every by a Coyote women's runner.

And at last month's D-II indoor track and field national meet, Kavan had three All-American honors, including two as an individual. She broke the school record in the mile run with a fourth-place clocking of 4:52.50.

Jeana Hoffman

Hoffman, a senior from Mitchell, led the Coyote women's basketball to its first-ever national championship game. USD lost to Northern Kentucky, 63-58, in the nationally-televised game in Kearney, Neb.

Hoffman averaged 17.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for the third-ranked Coyotes. She was also named a WBCA/State Farm All-American. She set a school-record for three-pointers in a season with 115.

Amber Kobus

The junior libero (defensive specialist) from Columbus, Neb., averaged 5.32 digs per game for the Coyote women's volleyball team, which finished the season 23-9. The Coyotes lost a first-round match to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Kobus, who was an honorable mention All-conference performer, ranked third in the NCC in service aces (0.44 per game). This season, she recorded 606 digs, which is the second-highest season total in school history.

Jill Smolczyk

The senior diver from Omaha, Neb., became the first Coyote in school history to win a national title. Smolczyk was named the Division II Women's Diver of the Year after winning the 1-meter diving competition and finishing second in 3-meter diving.

Smolczyk led the Coyote women's team to a 10th place national finish with 178.5 points, which is the highest total in school history.

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