South Dakota State women's golfer Sydney Bormann has been granted a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the association has announced.

"We are incredibly proud of Sydney! This award is a culmination of years of hard work and dedication," head golf coach Casey VanDamme said. "We look forward to watching the impact she will make on the world."

Bormann is one of 42 recipients of the scholarship, including 21 from women's sports, among all three NCAA divisions to earn the honor this spring. The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded each fall, winter and spring. Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program. The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually.

The scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage graduate education by rewarding the NCAA's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership are evaluated.

"I am so thankful for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, but I definitely did not do it on my own," Bormann expressed. "I had so many opportunities at SDSU both in athletics and in the classroom, and receiving this scholarship is a testament to all of the coaches, professors, and mentors who helped me along the way."

Bormann graduated from State with magna cum laude honors this past May, boasting a perfect 4.00 GPA in human biology. She is a CoSIDA Academic All-American, three-time Summit League All-Academic selection and four-time Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar.

On the course, Bormann held a 79.50 stroke average over the 18 rounds she competed in this season. The senior shot a season-low 70 in the final round of the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown. She ranks sixth all-time for State with a 77.78 career stroke average.

She posted six top-10 finishes throughout her career, including winning the Lady Thunderbird as a sophomore.

Bormann was also recently nominated as NCAA Woman of the Year. The award recognizes graduating female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers. Bormann is among 259 nominees from Division I, while 126 from Division II and 220 from Division III round out the list. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will announce the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year this fall.

Last year, Bormann was one of 26 students nationwide to receive an American Society for Microbiology Undergraduate Fellowship.

"I was fortunate to do research in Dr. Scaria's microbiology lab at SDSU which allowed me to gain experience presenting my work at national conferences," Bormann said. "The research I did at SDSU helped prepare me for the research project I am currently working on as a medical student."

Bormann, who served as the SDSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president, recently started medical school at the University of South Dakota.

"I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work towards my dream each day," Bormann expressed. "I am unsure exactly what I want to do after medical school, but I am drawn to the operating room and I hope to pursue a career within surgery."