Recent graduates Sahana Raman and Hope Shue have been nominated to represent the NESCAC as the NCAA Woman of the Year and the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year. A committee of conference administrators will select the representative for the award.
 
HONOREE HIGHLIGHTS

• Raman
  • Raman graduated in May with a degree in neuroscience with a pre-med track.
  • A six-time Middlebury College Scholar honoree, Raman was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-America selection, a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and a three-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree.
  • Off the court, Raman volunteered with the Handi-Racket Tennis and Aceing Autism programs, helping adults and children with intellectual or physical disabilities learn to play tennis. 
  • She volunteered at Porter Hospital and was the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) leader for the women's tennis program.
  • Raman was a research assistant in the neuroscience lab and on the hiring committee for neuroscience faculty while also serving on Middlebury's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
  • A four-time ITA All-American, Raman tallied 84 singles and 99 doubles triumphs in a Panther uniform. 
  • She began her career as the NESCAC Rookie of the Year and finished it as the NESCAC Player of the Year. 
  • Raman helped the Panthers reach the NCAA Semifinals twice and the quarterfinal round once. The program also claimed its initial NESCAC Championship last spring.
  • Raman and teammate Nina Farhat concluded their careers as the national runners-up in the NCAA Doubles Tournament.
• Shue
  • Shue graduated summa cum laude in May from Middlebury with a degree in neuroscience and a minor in history.
  • She was a Phi Beta Kappa inductee, the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the United States, which inducts outstanding students who demonstrate a commitment to intellectual curiosity and academic achievement in the liberal arts. 
  • Shue was the first Division III women's lacrosse athlete to earn the NCAA Elite 90 award three times. The honor is presented to the student-athlete at the NCAA Final Four with the highest cumulative grade point average (GPA). 
  • She is a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-America and a three-time NESCAC All-Academic selection.
  • Shue was a two-year leader of Middlebury's Radical Health program, helped organize Community Suppers during her four years in Middlebury, participated in Middlebury's Special Olympics programs, worked as an ADA Special Assistant, a MiddCORE Intern and a daycare teacher.
  • The Panther garnered the Hazeltine-Klevenow Memorial Trophy. The Middlebury Athletic Senior Award is given out based on leadership ability, high academic standing, athletic prowess, and involvement in college activities.
  • A team captain during her senior year, she was the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) National Player and Attacker of the Year in back-to-back seasons and a four-time IWLCA All-American. 
  • Shue helped Middlebury win four consecutive NCAA Championships, two NESCAC titles and posted a 89-2 mark over four campaigns.
  • She graduated as the program's career leader in goals (306) and points (391), securing both this season.
  • Shue was selected as the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025 and earned All-NESCAC honors in each of her four years.   

The nominee representing the NESCAC will be announced on Tuesday, July 8. The complete list of honorees may be found here.