Indianapolis, Ind. (November 10) - Graduate student Karenna Groff (Weston, Mass.) of the 16th-ranked MIT women's soccer team has been announced as one of nine finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year as the selection committee has released the names of the finalists from the Top 30 honoree pool.

The nine finalists consist of three student-athletes from each NCAA division. Each finalist was selected for her outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service, and leadership.

Groff becomes just the second MIT student-athlete to be selected to the Top Nine, joining Margaret Guo '16 who won the award in 2016, and she is the fourth student-athlete from the NEWMAC to be named a Top Nine Finalist.
 
"It is an honor to be recognized alongside such incredible women. We all stand on the shoulders of the pioneering women that came before us, and I am grateful for the doors they have opened. When I look at this group of intelligent, driven, and caring women, I know that the future is bright. It is inspiring to see that the empowerment and commitment to excellence that we have all experienced as athletes can have an impact on the world that is so much broader and more profound" Groff said about the honor.
 
Groff is working towards her master's degree in biomedical engineering, and she intends to work in medicine. She currently works at the Sahin Laboratory at Boston Children's Hospital, where she conducts research to understand the cellular mechanisms underlying epilepsy. She was also a research assistant at WONDER Maternal Mortality Reduction where she and her team worked to reduce maternal mortality in Bihar, India. Groff also is a founding member of the MIT Slums and Informal Settlements research group and a co-president of SAAC.
 
Groff is a three-time NEMAC First Team All-Conference honoree on the soccer field and was the 2021 Athlete of the Year and the NEWEMAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. She currently ranks second all-time in both goals (50) and points (127). She currently leads the Engineers with 25 points and seven assists and ranks second with nine goals.
 
Head coach Martin Desmarais notes, "Karenna has been a special player, teammate, and leader during her time as part of MIT Women's Soccer. In addition to her unbelievable ability to create scoring chances out of nothing and score the big goal your team needs, she always has a smile on her face and exudes a pure love for the game and joy at being on the pitch with her teammates. She is a fierce competitor but she would never let that get in the way of her enjoyment of the game or her support for her teammates. She has been a pleasure to coach over the years and is a player and teammate that will never be forgotten by her teammates and coaches or anyone who has ever watched her play soccer."

On January 12, the Top 30 honorees will be celebrated during a luncheon at the NCAA Convention in San Antonio where the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named.

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