Sara Wagenveld, a two-sport standout in volleyball and track & field for Azusa Pacific, has been selected as the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association West Region Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Wagenveld, who was named the PacWest Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year earlier this summer, graduated with a 3.96 GPA in English & Humanities in May. While Wagneveld has used all of her eligibility in volleyball, she has a remaining year in track & field, where she competes in the pole vault.
 
"Sara is the epitome of a student-athlete. If you looked up the term student-athlete in the dictionary, Sara's picture would be there," said Payton Williams, Azusa Pacific Director of Compliance & Academic Support, "She's one of the top athletes overall on the campus, as well as one of the top students in our Honors College program as well. Along with competing at a high level, she is seen as a leader on her team and on campus. To see her earn an award like this is a testimony to her hard work and dedication not only on the court or on the track, but in the classroom."
 
This past fall, Wagenveld wrapped up her collegiate volleyball career by helping lead Azusa Pacific to its third consecutive trip to the NCAA West Regionals, where the Cougars advanced to the Regional Final. The Cougars also claimed their second consecutive PacWest title by finishing 20-2 in conference play. Wagenveld was selected as an All-PacWest First-Team performer after she finished top-10 in the conference in hitting percentage (34.2%) and total blocks (100). Her 2019 First-Team selection marked the third time in her career that she was named All-PacWest.
 
Following volleyball season, Wagenveld has turned her attention towards competing for the Cougar track & field team, with whom she has become one of the top pole vaulters in program history. Currently, Wagenveld ranks third all-time in Cougar history with a personal-best vault of 12' 10 ¼".This season, Wagenveld was named a USTFCCCA Indoor All-West Region performer in the pole vault after she cleared a height of 12' 5 ½", which was among the top-five marks in the region. Last year, she was a qualifier for the 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
 
Wagenveld is the first Azusa Pacific student-athlete since Allie Updike (track & field) in 2015-16 to be named a D2CCA West Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year.