Linda Consolante, a two-time America East Defender of the Year for the University of Maine women’s soccer team, will be the Black Bears’ representative for the first America East Woman of the Year Award.

To be nominated, a woman must have earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and competed during the 2005-2006 academic year, completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2006 spring season or received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the spring term (2006) and have a minimum grade point average of 2.5.

The award also takes into consideration school and community service as well as leadership.

“Linda is the perfect example of what it means to be a student-athlete,” said Maine athletic director Blake James. “She excelled in all areas we asked of her. Her academic and athletic performances were excellent and what she did as a representative of our program was remarkable. She was a leader in so many ways. We’re happy to have her as our Woman of the Year. ”

The other nominees are Albany’s Ashlee Reed (volleyball), Binghamton’s Lauren Verrusio (softball), Boston University’s Brittany McDonald (soccer), Hartford’s Brianne Paulson (volleyball), Maryland Baltimore County’s Kelly Floriani (lacrosse), New Hampshire’s Debbie Newman (soccer), Stony Brook’s Marrisa Trachtenberg (lacrosse), and Vermont’s Merrie-Beth Maynard (field hockey).

Three finalists will be selected today and the winner will be named on Sunday.

The 5-foot-11 Consolante was a four-time America East All-Conference selection including a first-team choice in 2001, ’02, and this past season. She was the league’s Defender of the Year in 2002 and this past season. She was a medical redshirt in 2004.

The Beaconsfield, Quebec, native was a second-team pick during the 2003 season in which she was a member of the Canadian World Cup team.

The tenacious and hard-nosed defender, who was exceptional in the air and dangerous on free kicks, was also named a second-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast Region selection.

In the classroom, she has been named to the America East Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll four times and was a four-time Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

She was named to the “ESPN The Magazine” Academic All-District first team in 2005.

Members of the athletic department and media relations department were involved in her selection as well as the academic support staff.

“We had a number of very qualified candidates, but when you looked at her academic and athletic achievements as well as her community involvement, we felt Linda was the best fit to represent our university,” said James.