Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Lee named 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 Honoree
10/22/2025 2:05:00 PM | Women's Golf
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Abbie Lee, a graduate student from the Middle Tennessee women's golf program, has been named a Top 30 Honoree for the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the association announced Wednesday afternoon. Lee, who received the President's Award at the 2025 Raider's Choice Award, embodies the true spirit of a student-athlete, excelling on the course, in the classroom and throughout the community, despite all of the challenges life has thrown at her.
The 30 honorees consist of ten student-athletes from each NCAA division. Each finalist was selected for her outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. Lee's selection marks just the second time in Middle Tennessee that a Blue Raider has earned Top 30 honors, with the last recipient being Chrissy Givens of women's basketball in 2007. Lee also represents the 23rd Division I women's golf student-athlete to be designated since the award's establishment in 1991.
Lee graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2025 with her degree in mechatronics engineering and a minor in mathematics. Throughout her academic career, the Glasgow, Ky., native maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA, earning three nods to the Conference USA All-Academic First Team and three Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar honors. She is continuing her education at Middle Tennessee while pursuing a Master's in Business Administration.
The president of MTSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Lee received the Conference USA Spirit of Service award for spring sports in 2025 for her work in the community while on the committee. She helps coordinate service events for student-athletes in Murfreesboro, including a Teddy Bear Toss benefitting Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, a toy drive for local children and a baby bottle change drive for Ascension St. Thomas.
Even outside of SAAC, Lee remains active in the community, organizing community service events for herself and her family, helping prepare and deliver over 300 breakfasts for healthcare workers during the holiday season at TJ Samson Hospital, creating a handwritten notes project to show appreciation to the nurses at Murfreesboro Vascular & Interventional Clinic and raising over $4,000 for the Mason Goodnight Foundation, providing opportunities through youth sports to children in need. Her passion for showing appreciation to healthcare workers stems from a life-threatening condition she suffered in her junior season. Diagnosed with a fully occlusive deep vein thrombosis in her entire left leg left her hospitalized and fighting to walk again.
"That experience deepened my empathy and ignited a profound passion for supporting healthcare workers and their patients," said Lee.
On the course, Lee had a breakout senior season, averaging 73.09 shots per round through 22 rounds to tie for the third lowest single season scoring average in program history. With nine rounds at par or below, she ranked seventh in single season program history, earning a Second Team All-CUSA selection and a nod to the CUSA Championship All-Tournament Team thanks to a tournament at par (216), finishing in a tie for fifth. She wrapped up the season with four-consecutive top 10 finishes, including a career-best second place at the Golfweek Stifel Spring Challenge, turning in the fourth-lowest 54-hole total in Blue Raider history with a 209 (-4).
Reflecting on her journey as a Blue Raider, Lee said she doesn't do it for the awards or attention.
"Whether I'm in the lab, competing on the course or serving in the community, I lead with conviction, act with compassion and stay grounded in purpose – not for recognition, but to make a meaningful difference," she said. "This award is not just an honor, it represents the mission that guides me daily: to uplist those around me, live with unwavering integrity and leave a lasting, positive impact."
The 30 honorees consist of ten student-athletes from each NCAA division. Each finalist was selected for her outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. Lee's selection marks just the second time in Middle Tennessee that a Blue Raider has earned Top 30 honors, with the last recipient being Chrissy Givens of women's basketball in 2007. Lee also represents the 23rd Division I women's golf student-athlete to be designated since the award's establishment in 1991.
Lee graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2025 with her degree in mechatronics engineering and a minor in mathematics. Throughout her academic career, the Glasgow, Ky., native maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA, earning three nods to the Conference USA All-Academic First Team and three Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar honors. She is continuing her education at Middle Tennessee while pursuing a Master's in Business Administration.
The president of MTSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Lee received the Conference USA Spirit of Service award for spring sports in 2025 for her work in the community while on the committee. She helps coordinate service events for student-athletes in Murfreesboro, including a Teddy Bear Toss benefitting Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, a toy drive for local children and a baby bottle change drive for Ascension St. Thomas.
Even outside of SAAC, Lee remains active in the community, organizing community service events for herself and her family, helping prepare and deliver over 300 breakfasts for healthcare workers during the holiday season at TJ Samson Hospital, creating a handwritten notes project to show appreciation to the nurses at Murfreesboro Vascular & Interventional Clinic and raising over $4,000 for the Mason Goodnight Foundation, providing opportunities through youth sports to children in need. Her passion for showing appreciation to healthcare workers stems from a life-threatening condition she suffered in her junior season. Diagnosed with a fully occlusive deep vein thrombosis in her entire left leg left her hospitalized and fighting to walk again.
"That experience deepened my empathy and ignited a profound passion for supporting healthcare workers and their patients," said Lee.
On the course, Lee had a breakout senior season, averaging 73.09 shots per round through 22 rounds to tie for the third lowest single season scoring average in program history. With nine rounds at par or below, she ranked seventh in single season program history, earning a Second Team All-CUSA selection and a nod to the CUSA Championship All-Tournament Team thanks to a tournament at par (216), finishing in a tie for fifth. She wrapped up the season with four-consecutive top 10 finishes, including a career-best second place at the Golfweek Stifel Spring Challenge, turning in the fourth-lowest 54-hole total in Blue Raider history with a 209 (-4).
Reflecting on her journey as a Blue Raider, Lee said she doesn't do it for the awards or attention.
"Whether I'm in the lab, competing on the course or serving in the community, I lead with conviction, act with compassion and stay grounded in purpose – not for recognition, but to make a meaningful difference," she said. "This award is not just an honor, it represents the mission that guides me daily: to uplist those around me, live with unwavering integrity and leave a lasting, positive impact."
Players Mentioned
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