San Antonio - Trinity University All-America diver Hayley Emerick has been named the 2011 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Woman of the Year.

Emerick (Portland, Texas/Gregory-Portland) is also the conference's nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year, to be honored Oct. 16 at a dinner in Indianapolis.

The NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service, and leadership.

The top three finalists, from each NCAA division, will be selected in September.

She was the second former Trinity student-athlete to be recognized as SCAC Woman of the Year. Christyn Schumann, a four-time NCAA national high jump champion, won the first award in 2006.

Emerick, who earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity in business administration (marketing) on May 14, is a four-time All-American. Last March, Emerick competed in the NCAA Division IIII Swimming and Diving Championships, and finished as runner-up on the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.

In 2010, Emerick captured the national 3-meter diving title at the NCAA meet.

Emerick was honored as the SCAC Female Diver of the Year four straight times. She was a seven-time SCAC champion in the 1-meter and 3-meter events, 

Last April, Emerick was awarded a prestigious $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Emerick helped found a new business fraternity on campus, Delta Sigma Pi, and was also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She also was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society.

The service-minded Emerick volunteered with many organizations during her time as a Trinity student. She worked with Habitat for Humanity, the YMCA, and the Food Bank of San Antonio, where she assisted with a community garden. 

Emerick also worked with the  Cross Cultural Solutions Volunteer Abroad in 2010 in Costa Rica. She helped with marketing development for a small business. Emerick also volunteered at an orphanage, and taught English at the local university.

She will join the information technology consulting firm of Cap Gemini in Houston. Emerick has later plans to earn an MBA.