IWLCA Announces 2021 Scholar-Athletes of the Year

The IWLCA announced its 2021 Scholar-Athletes of the Year, honoring the top student-athlete in NCAA Division I, II, and III and the NAIA. Nominees for the award must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of athletic eligibility, have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, and be a starter or significant reserve for their team.

Mikaela Watson, Stanford University

The 2021 IWLCA Division I Scholar-Athlete of the Year is Mikaela Watson, currently a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Sustainability Science and Practice at Stanford University after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Product Design Engineering. She was named to the All-Pac-12 first team, was a second team IWLCA West/Midwest selection, and named to the Tewaaraton watch list in 2021, when she posted 21 goals, 10 assists, 12 draw controls, 27 ground balls, and 10 caused turnovers. Watson, a midfielder for the Cardinal, has been equally successful off the field pursuits. She is a four-time selection to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll, was named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll in 2019 and was accepted to The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design's leadership program. Watson is also the designer and co-founder of the Been There podcast, a 10 part story-sharing podcast for female collegiate athletes to feel both seen and heard, and united in their common struggles.

Cathleen Gaffney, Lenoir-Rhyne University

The 2021 IWLCA Division II Scholar-Athlete of the Year is Cathleen Gaffney, who recently graduated with a 4.0 GPA from her Master of Business Administration program at Lenoir-Rhyne, after completing her undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing. She was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team three times, is the all-time leader in career assists at Lenoir-Rhyne and ranks second all-time in career points for the Bears. Academically, Gaffney was named the 2021 SAC Scholar-Athlete for women’s lacrosse, received the Charles M. Snipes School of Business and Economics Honor, is part of the Lenoir-Rhyne Scholars program, and is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma Society and Alpha Lambda Delta Society.

Landon Shelley, Washington and Lee University

The 2021 IWLCA Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year is Landon Shelley, who graduated from Washington and Lee this spring, majoring in Accounting, and minoring in Math. She was a two-time First Team All-ODAC selection as an attacker, earning the ODAC Offensive Player of the Year Award this spring.  Shelley was named a First Team All-American this season after posting 67 points on 17 goals and 50 assists and holds the program records for assists in a game (7), season (53) and career (141). Her success off the field has been equally impressive, as she was recognized as the ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, inducted into Phi Beta Kappa honor society, and named to the VaSID Academic All-State team. Shelley will begin her post-collegiate life as an analyst at Goldman Sachs Investment Banking in July.

Tyelar Rohman, Georgetown College

The 2021 IWLCA NAIA Scholar-Athlete of the Year is Georgetown College senior Tyelar Rohman. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance this spring, while minoring in Accounting. Rohman, a defender, was a Mid-South All-Conference and NAIA All-American selection. She collected 45 ground balls and 24 caused turnovers in 2021, finishing with 113 ground balls and 55 caused turnovers for her career. The senior captain also excelled in the classroom, earning Dean’s List honors every semester, to go along with her Academic All-Conference and Academic All-American accolades. Rohman was also named the top student in the Finance department and is a member of the business honors society.