Aplington-Parkersburg alum Megan Johnson is Central College’s nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The award recognizes graduating female athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their college careers. Johnson finished her kinesiology degree with a 3.94 GPA. She’s going to graduate school at the University of Oklahoma to use her final year of athletic eligibility.
The 3,000-meter steeplechase national champion at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Johnson also placed 10th in the 5,000-meter run to earn second team All-American accolades. She won the American Rivers Conference Track Events MVP at the league’s outdoor championship meet by winning the steeplechase and 5000 meters while finishing second in the 1500 meters. During the indoor season, she was on the national runner-up distance medley relay squad. She finished 30th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships for All-American honors.
Nearly 200 Division III student-athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools for last year’s Woman of the Year Award. Johnson is among six being considered as this year’s American Rivers Conference nominee. After the league’s nomination is submitted, the Woman of the Year selection committee will then pick the top 30 honorees, including 10 from each division. The top three from each division will be announced in October with the winner announced at the 2025 NCAA Convention in January.