Bridgewater, NJ — The NEC is proud to announce that Saint Francis U softball standout Olivia Ulam (Canonsburg, PA/Canon McMillan) and Wagner track and field star Ruth-Ann Chambers (Kingston, Jamaica/St. Andrew High School for Girls) have been selected as the league’s nominees for the prestigious 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
 
Both Ulam and Chambers were chosen by the conference office in recognition of their outstanding achievements in athletics, academics, leadership and community service.
 
In a star-studded career highlighted by a plethora of athletic awards, academic excellence and multiple NEC championships, Ulam put an exclamation point on her four-year career in Loretto this past June by claiming the NEC’s highest — and most prestigious — individual honor: the NEC Female Team Student-Athlete of the Year award.
 
Beyond her athletic prowess on the diamond that culminated in a .304 career batting average with 48 doubles, 24 dingers, 131 runs and 145 RBI, Ulam hit a grand slam with her unprecedented success in the classroom. As an Early Childhood Education major, the Keystone State product crossed the stage at commencement sporting a healthy 3.86 GPA. Landing on the President’s List four times, she appeared on the NEC Academic Honor Roll in each of her four years and claimed a spot on the NEC Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the past three seasons.
 
Ulam’s consistency and diligence in the classroom also yielded three CSC Academic All-District Team honors (2023, 2024 and 2025). A co-winner of the NEC Scholar-Athlete award in softball, she also held membership in the 2025 Saint Francis U Honor Society (School of Health Sciences and Education) and she was the recipient of the 2025 Saint Francis Wallace Athletic Award, which is earmarked as the highest senior honor at the school’s annual end-of-the-year athletics banquet.  
 
Ulam hit for the cycle with her exemplary leadership skills and desire to give back to the community. 
 
The three-year team captain took pride in creating a culture of accountability and respect, all while continuing the Red Flash’s winning tradition. She was a member of Saint Francis U’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as an E-Board member to the NEC SAAC this past season. In terms of community service, Ulam’s impressive list of activities was highlighted by involvement with campus cleanups and Seedz for Needz, serving as a volunteer for walks that benefit breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease awareness as well as participating in Saint Francis U’s annual RED Day. 
 
“Over the course of my four years at Saint Francis U, I have grown as a student, athlete and a leader,” stated Ulam. “As a leader on the softball team, I have taken pride by leading by example – motivating the team, creating a culture of accountability and respect, and supporting one another when we were challenged.”
 
Reliable with the glove and dangerous at the plate during her four-year residency in Loretto, Ulam earned her fourth consecutive first-team All-NEC nod in 2025 — becoming just the second Saint Francis U student-athlete to do so. The flashy first baseman, 2025 NEC Gold Glove winner and 2025 All-Tournament team member was a mainstay in a Red Flash clubhouse that has hoisted 13 trophies — six regular season titles and seven NEC tournament championships — since the 2017 campaign.  
 
“I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play college softball at the highest level,” said Ulam. “These experiences have shaped my character and influenced my future goals. I have learned the value of collaboration and resilience to make a positive impact to those around me. They have empowered me to not only lead, but to also listen and learn from others.”
 
A three-time NEC Tournament champion (2022, 2024 and 2025) and three-time NEC regular season champion (2022, 2023 and 2024), Ulam hit .342 (sixth in NEC), with 53 hits (third), 33 runs (sixth), 15 doubles (led the NEC), six homers (eighth) and 34 RBI (seventh) as a senior. She also posted a .555 slugging percentage (eighth) and .954 OPS (ninth). Leading the Red Flash to a 73-17 record against NEC competitors during her career, including the program’s third undefeated league slate in 2024 (24-0 record), Ulam finished her career as the program’s all-time leader in putouts (1,651) and ranks fifth in Saint Francis U annals in hits, doubles and RBI. 
 
Chambers set the bar high in the classroom. A Sociology major with double minors in Biology and Spanish, she maintained a 3.50 GPA as an undergraduate student. Earning multiple Dean’s List and NEC Academic Honor Roll nods, the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honors Society member was the recipient of the 2024 Eduardo Chirinos Spanish Award for outstanding work in Spanish language and literature and the International Award for exemplary academic achievement.
 
Chambers’ sophomore season in 2023 was the start of an NEC track and field major award spree that featured a haul of seven total awards during that stretch. Winning NEC Most Outstanding Track Performer (Sprints) three times during the indoor campaign in 2023, 2024 and 2025, the speedy Jamaican-born sprinter garnered the same award twice on the outdoor circuit in 2024 and 2025. All of that culminated into a senior campaign in 2025 that saw her take home the track and field championship’s most prestigious honor — the NEC Most Valuable Performer award — at the conclusion of both the indoor and outdoor meets.
 
In addition to the major awards, Chambers’ trophy case is filled to the brim with 22 championship medals. Fifteen golds highlight that impressive haul, including three in the indoor 60m hurdles, three in the outdoor 100m hurdles, two in the outdoor 400m hurdles and two in the outdoor 4x400m relay.
 
Chambers blazed the trail and helped the Seahawks make program history during her final season donning the Green and White. Behind four gold medal performances in the 60m, 60m hurdles, 500m and 4x400m relay, she helped Wagner take home the 2025 NEC Indoor Track & Field trophy for the first time ever. Seventy-six days later, Chambers struck gold three times in the 100m dash, the 100m hurdles and the 400m hurdles to lead the Seahawks to the unofficial NEC track and field sweep with their first outdoor track and field championship.
 
The owner of a pair of NEC championship meet records in the outdoor 100m hurdles and the 400m hurdles, and 10 total Wagner records, Chambers capped off her illustrious career at the NCAA Track and Field East Regional in Jacksonville, FL, where she competed in the 400m hurdles.
 
“Track and field has been more than a sport for me; it’s been a space of growth and empowerment,” said Chambers. “I’ve broken multiple school records, earned MVP and conference honors and served as team captain. While these achievements mean a lot, the most important lessons have come from leading my teammates, staying motivated through setbacks and showing up for others with consistency and care.”
 
Outside of the track and the classroom, Chambers committed herself to serving and uplifting her community. Taking on several leadership roles — including Vice President of the Black Student Union, DEIA Senator for Student Government Association and Student Assistant at the Cetner for Intercultural Advancement — she strived to continue to foster a culture of inclusion on her campus on Staten Island. 
 
“Each of these roles have helped me grow, not just as an individual, but as someone dedicated to making a difference,” continued Chambers. “Whether I am competing on the track, researching social issues or building community, I aim to lead with purpose and use my platform to inspire change and represent those who are often overlooked.”
 
Throughout her collegiate career, Chambers also found ways to give back via several volunteer efforts. She was a member of the Jamaica Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and served as a volunteer for the New York Road Runners as well as the Dupont Primary School and Balmagie Methodist Basic School in her native country of Jamaica. 
 
One of the most prestigious NCAA awards, the Woman of the Year Award was established in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. Now in its 35th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female college athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Per the NCAA, all conference-level nominees are advanced to the Woman of the Year selection committee. The selection committee will choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the three finalists in each division. Finally, the members of the Committee on Women’s Athletics will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year. The top 30 honorees will be honored, and the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced this fall.