Recent DePaul graduate and basketball player Jessica January has been named one of 30 finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Out of an original field of 543 school nominations, 145 were selected by conferences and an independent selection committee.  Of those, 10 each were selected from Division I, II and III.

The award is made to honor female student athletes who excel not just on the court, but in the class room and as community leaders.

January graduated this past year Summa Cum Laude and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First team.

In her senior season, January made it one to remember.  She had three consecutive 25-point performances against Birmingham, Northwestern and Western Kentucky.  The strong start was put on hold when she broke her finger in a match up with Georgetown.

After missing two months, January would exact revenge.  In her second game back, against Georgetown, she recorded the third triple double in DePaul history with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. She would then lead the Blue Demons to the Big East championship game and to the sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament.

To cap it off, she was drafted in the third round of the WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun, though she would not make the final roster.

In late September, the field of 30 will be brought to nine.  The winner will be selected by the Committee on Women’s Athletics and will be named at a ceremony on October 22.