ARLINGTON, Texas – Former Grand Canyon University soccer player Gianna Gourley and California Baptist University cross country/track & field athlete Yasna Petrova have been selected by the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) as conference nominees for consideration for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Entering its 34th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award recognizes graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.
 
The 30 national finalists for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year award will be announced later this fall. The finalist list will be trimmed to nine and the winner will be revealed at the NCAA Convention in January of 2025.
 
Gourley, a native of Las Vegas, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Grand Canyon. Gourley maintained a cumulative 3.91 grade-point average during her undergraduate career and was a three-time Academic All-WAC selection. Gourley was also a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American in 2022 and 2023 and added 2023 United Soccer Coaches Academic All-America honors to her plaudits.
 
Gourley was named the 2023 WAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in goals (21) and points (47) across 23 matches in her final collegiate season. Gourley added 2023 WAC Tournament Outstanding Player to her resume after scoring three goals and helping guide GCU to a second WAC Tournament title in three seasons.
 
Gourley, a three-time first-team All-WAC choice (2021-23), was a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Pacific Region First Team player and was chosen as a third-team United Soccer Coaches All-American in 2023. Gourley capped her GCU career with 49 goals, 15 assists and 14 match-winning goals across 65 matches.
 
Petrova, a native of Ruse, Bulgaria, boasted a 3.97 undergraduate grade-point average and graduated Summa Cum Laude after studying international studies with a concentration in international business and minoring in Spanish at California Baptist. Petrova has been selected to the Academic All-WAC team four times and has earned a pair of USTFCCCA major academic honors including a 2023 nod as a cross country academic All-American.
 
Petrova was the 2022 WAC Women’s Cross Country Championship 6K runner-up and added second-place showings in the 5000-meter run at the 2023 and 2024 WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Petrova has earned four first-team All-WAC accolades (two in cross country, two in outdoor track), was named an all-region performer in cross country in both 2022 and 2023 and captured honorable mention All-America honors in the 5000-meter run at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships while at CBU.
 
Along with being a cross country/track & field representative for the CBU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Petrova served as the mental health director for CBU SAAC during the 2023-24 academic year. Petrova also received the CBU International Student Award and was inducted as a member into Alpha Chi, Pi Sigma Alpha and Sigma Delta Pi.