INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Former Gustavus track & field standout Birgen Nelson has been named a Top 30 honoree for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. Nelson becomes the first Gustie to be named a NCAA Woman of the Year finalist since hockey player Melissa Mackley in 2010, and the fourth overall, joining Sarah Edmonds (cross country) in 1993 and Sarah Moe (hockey) in 2002. 

Established in 1991, the award is rooted in Title IX and recognizes female student-athletes who have completed their undergraduate studies and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers. 

Nelson was a two-time NCAA Division III outdoor track and field national champion in the 100-meter hurdles and also won an indoor 60-meter hurdles national title. She owns NCAA Division III all-time records in the indoor 60-meter hurdles, outdoor 100-meter hurdles, and outdoor sprint medley relay. The nine-time U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association first-team All-American earned USTFCCCA North Region Track Athlete of the Year recognition twice. She won 13 individual Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship titles, contributed to outdoor team titles in 2022 and 2023, and was a two-time conference Track Athlete of the Year. The most decorated athlete in program history holds 14 school records, with nine set in 2023. Nelson placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2023 USA Track and Field Indoor Championships. She earned first-team College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors in 2023 and 2022, following a third-team selection in 2021, and four USTFCCCA All-Academic honors. During her three years in the Student Senate, she served as a hall representative, ombudsperson and co-president, and she implemented a Laptop Loanership Program, free menstrual products on campus, and ad-hoc committees for racial justice and indigenous relations. Nelson served on the Gustavus Adolphus Board of Conduct and was the legislative affairs co-chair for the Minnesota Association of Private College Students.   

"This very special award is such an amazing honor and blessing for Birgen, her family, our college, and our team," Head Coach Aaron Lund said. "Birgen has made incredible contributions in so many ways to our campus community. Our program is forever grateful for the journey Birgen had at Gustavus. She will be remembered for her passion, work ethic, relentless curiosity to learn more about the sport, will to win, leadership qualities showcased throughout campus and her love for this team. The continued blessings and recognition are just a result of a life full of hard work and passion. Birgen is very deserving of this selection and our team is so proud of her!" 

Selected from a record-breaking 619 nominees submitted by member schools — a group that was then narrowed to 164 nominees at the conference level — the Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. Each honoree has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The honorees represent 15 sports, including two student-athletes representing NCAA Emerging Sports for Women. They have a variety of majors, including national security and intelligence, neuroscience, economics, civil engineering, education, nursing, computer science and business management.

"We are thrilled to celebrate 30 incredible student-athletes who surpassed the standard of excellence on their campus, in their community and on their teams," said Renie Shields, chair of the Woman of the Year Selection Committee and senior associate athletics director/senior woman administrator at Saint Joseph's. "This decorated and diverse group represent the thousands of women competing in college sports each year and are contributing to the ongoing growth of women sports."

The selection committee will determine three honorees from each NCAA division, for a total of nine finalists. From those finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. The NCAA Woman of the Year will be named, and the Top 30 will be celebrated at the NCAA Convention in January.