411OnTheForty: Gibson nominated for 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year

Texas diver Alison Gibson has been named as one of the Big 12’s two nominees for the prestigious 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

It is a fitting way to end a decorated collegiate career for a diver who has been crowned a Big 12 champion on three occasions and an All-American on four.

In the classroom, her performance was just as stellar throughout all four years, as she received four College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American honors.

This is not the first time this year that Gibson has been recognized for both her athletic and academic achievements at Texas. In April, Gibson and track sprinter John Burt each earned a Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate scholarship. Following graduation this spring with a degree in Advertising, Gibson will be continuing her education, pursuing a master’s in Advertising this fall, while continuing to train with Team USA, in hopes of making the Olympic team for the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo.

Gibson was responsible for numerous Big 12 titles Texas has garnered over her last four seasons in Austin. From the time she was a freshman, Gibson has separated herself as one of the best head diving coach Matt Scoggin has ever seen during his 25 years coaching the Longhorns.

“Alison has been such a hard worker and team leader for four years straight,” Scoggin said. “She is typically the first one on the pool deck and she did everything that I asked of her in the workout, and more. She is a really good example of someone that got the most out of her time at Texas, athletically and academically. She was always all in. That is why she got a GPA of almost 4.0, that is why the school of Advertising asked her to give a commencement speech, that’s why she has won a NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a Big 12 postgraduate scholarship, and now is an NCAA Woman of the Year nominee. She is just a tremendous example of a Longhorn that wanted to become the very best she could.”

In addition to Gibson, Oklahoma soccer standout Kaylee Dao also was nominated by the conference for the NCAA Woman Athlete of the Year award.