The University of Pennsylvania has nominated swimmer Lia Thomas for the NCAA “Woman of the Year” award.
According to an announcement from the NCAA, Thomas was nominated by UPenn for the award recognizing female student-athletes.
Thomas is one of the 577 graduating female student athletes nominated by their schools for the prestigious award.
She graduated from UPenn this year after winning the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championships earlier in the year.
NCAA member schools “are encouraged to celebrate their top graduating female student-athletes by nominating them for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award,” the announcement said.
After schools make their nominations, their conference can then select up to two nominees, reported Fox News.
Thomas’ participation in college women’s swimming has brought on national criticism, with many arguing that she has an unfair advantage competing in the women’s division.
Caitlyn Jenner called her participation in the women’s division “one of the worst things to happen to the trans community”.
Riley Gaines, a swimmer at the University of Kentucky who tied with Lia Thomas for fifth place at the NCAA swimming championships, has been vocal about the controversy.
“The majority of us female athletes, or females in general, really, are not okay with this, and they’re not okay with the trajectory of this and how this is going and how it could end up in a few years,” she said on the “Unmuted with Marsha” podcast with Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
Last month, the world swimming’s governing body, FINA, effectively banned transgender women from competing in elite women’s events with a “gender inclusion policy”.
The policy only allows swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events.
“I knew there would be scrutiny against me if I competed as a woman, and I was prepared for that,” Thomas had told “Good Morning America” in her first TV interview.