Knuth, Das nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year
Nandini Das, a double major in management and marketing, completed her degrees in the spring 2021.
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During her career at FSU, Taryn Knuth established herself as one of the best indoor volleyball players in school history.
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Florida State University graduating seniors Taryn Knuth and Nandini Das have been selected as FSU Athletics’ nominees for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
Knuth played indoor volleyball and Das was on the women’s tennis team.
To be eligible, a nominee must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have earned her undergraduate degree by summer 2021. Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member schools. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its core member schools (and sponsored sports) and submits its conference nominee to the NCAA.
Knuth earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management in the fall 2020 and began work on her Master’s Degree in Sport Management in the spring 2021. Das doubled majored in Management and Marketing and completed her degrees in the spring 2021.
Knuth, a native of Johnston, Iowa, has established herself as one of the best student-athletes in Florida State Indoor Volleyball history. She ranks in the Top 10 at FSU in blocks per set (1.55, first), hitting percentage (fourth, .368), block assists (T4th, 492), solo blocks (T9th, 87) and matches started (T10th, 99).
The 2019 ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year and three-time All-American wrapped up her senior season leading the NCAA and the ACC in hitting percentage at .549, which is the highest in a single season at FSU. She is also a four-time ACC All-Academic Team member and four-time ACC Academic Honor Roll recipient.
“I feel so grateful to Florida State and the athletic administration for choosing to nominate me for such a prestigious award,” Knuth said. “I am so honored to have this opportunity among so many outstanding women in the NCAA. This is a testament to Florida State’s prowess in women’s athletics and it’s a true privilege to represent the greatest university in the country.”
Das, who hails from Mumbai, India, completed her outstanding FSU career by earning ITA All-America honors in 2021 and advancing to the NCAA Championships quarterfinals for doubles with Andrea Garcia. In all five of her seasons played at FSU from 2016-21, she recorded double-digit singles wins and climbed up to eighth all-time in school history with 166 career wins.
Das is a five-time member of The Dean’s List and was also selected to the 2020 ITA Scholar Athlete Team. She was FSU Women’s Tennis’ representative at the 2020 Golden Nole Awards, which rewards student-athletes for the impact they make in the community.
“(It’s) an honor to have been nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year 2021,” Das said. “I feel an immense amount of gratitude towards Florida State University for helping me grow over the last five years and allowing me to make an impact on and off the court. Being a Seminole has shaped me into the woman I am today and I can’t wait to continue on this journey!”
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee identifies the Top 30 – 10 from each division –and from there selects three finalists from each division. From the nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics then selects the NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be named later this fall.
