Women's basketball player Sutton nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball player Julianne Sutton was named one of 126 Division II nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.

Sutton was the 2019-20 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year after leading the Nighthawks to a third-straight NCAA Southeast Regional appearance before the tournament was canceled. Sutton, from Flowery Branch, Georgia, earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a health and fitness concentration in May, completing the degree in three years. She has one season remaining with UNG, during which she will begin work on a master's degree in kinesiology.

"Being nominated for this award is such an honor. Basketball has been such a huge part of my life for so long, and as I come to my final chapter with this nomination, it means a lot," Sutton said. "I pray that I am not just remembered as a good basketball player. I pray I am remembered as a girl who made a small difference in someone's life."

This past season, the forward scored her 1,000th career point and pulled down her 500th career rebound.

"I feel very blessed and honored to coach a student-athlete like Julianne. Her awards speak for themselves," said Buffie Burson, UNG women's basketball head coach. "However, her big heart and selfless spirit have played such a huge role as a leader in our program. She gets my vote."

The nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, including 259 nominees from Division I and 220 from Division III.