The NCAA has announced its conference selection for the 2022 Woman of the Year award, and it was a win for common sense.
As per the NCAA, it would be naming Columbia University fencer Sylvie Binder as The Ivy League pick instead of transgender athlete Lia Thomas, a biologically male athelete who dominated women’s swimming events after identifying and transitioning into a woman.
The fencer is a senior from Armonk, New York, and she is among the 577 students nominated for the award. She was also one of the eight athletes nominated from The Ivy League Conference.
Binder has a long and storied career in women’s sports. She placed fifth at The Ivy League championships this season, second at the Northeast Regional, and third at the NCAA Championships with an overall record of 17-6. She was also dubbed as the 2022 Women’s Connie S. Maniatty Award winner as Columbia’s top senior student-athlete, according to a Fox News report.
What truly set apart Binder’s win, however, was the fact that she was chosen over Thomas, whose nomination in mid-July for the Woman of the Year award sparked controversy.
Thomas, who had previously competed in male sports, transitioned into a female and started competing in women’s events. Against biological women, Thomas was formidable, setting records in the pool during the 2021-2022 college swimming seasons.
Thomas had shattered UPenn records in the pool, breaking the university’s school record in the 100 free (47.37), 200 free (1:41.93), 500 free (4:33.24), 1,000 free (9:35.96), and 1,650 free (15:59.71).
Thomas also dominated in the Ivy League championships in February. His 500 free time at the Ivy League Championships actually broke the previous record held by Olympian Kate Ziegler, much to the chagrin of women athletes and fans and the joy of woke alphabet people.
With Thomas out, Binder is now among the 151 student-athletes being considered by the Woman of the Year Selection Committee. Ten nominees from each division and the top 30 will be announced in October.
And thankfully, none of them will be a man.