Winthrop’s Portiolli one of 13 finalists for Big South Woman of the Year

ROCK HILL, SC–Winthrop senior women’s tennis standout Giovanna Portiolli is among 13 student-athletes from 10 member institutions who have been nominated for the Big South Conference’s Woman of the Year award for 2012-13, it was announced today by the league office.

The Big South’s Woman of the Year Selection Committee will determine two finalists, which will be announced next week, and the overall winner will be announced and presented her award at the Big South’s Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner on Thursday, May 30 at The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va. The Big South Woman of the Year winner is nominated as a candidate for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Portiolli (Curtiba, Brazil), is a 3.95 student in environmental sciences and has been involved with Winthrop’s SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Council) all four years as well as the Boys & Girls Club. She has taught tennis youth clinics and is a member of Winthrop’s environmental group on campus. Portiolli has volunteered on various campus clean-ups, including recyclable trash, and was an Environmental Debate Team leader this past year. The team captain was voted the 2013 Big South Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

In addition to Portiolli, the other 12 nominees are Campbell soccer player Taylor Brown (Raleigh, N.C.), Campbell golfer Teresa Urquizu (San Sebastian, Spain), Charleston Southern golfer Amanda D’Ostroph (Whispering Pines, N.C.), High Point volleyball player Molly Barlow (Phoenix, Ariz.), High Point soccer player Janay Whittaker (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Liberty soccer player Karen Blocker (Bowie, Md.), Liberty volleyball player Loren Thomas (Ocoee, Fla.), Longwood soccer player Lindsey Ottavio (Fairfax, Va.), Presbyterian golfer Micah Dowling (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.), Radford women’s soccer player Megan Rhodes (Blacksburg, Va.), UNC Asheville track & field athlete Emma Bussard (Carrollton, Ga.) and VMI track & field athlete Jenna Moye (Moseley, Va.).