HPU’s Janay Whittaker Named Finalist for Big South Woman of the Year

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Janay Whittaker of the High Point University women’s soccer team has been named as one of two finalists for the Big South Woman of the Year award, the conference announced on Thursday. The second finalist is Karen Blocker of the Liberty women’s soccer team. The winner will be announced and presented her award on Thursday, May 30 at the Big South’s Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner in Hot Springs, Va.

The Big South’s Woman of the Year Selection Committee voted Blocker and Whittaker as the two finalists among the 13 candidates nominated for the award. The Big South’s Woman of the Year winner is nominated as a candidate for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Whittaker played in all 22 games for High Point in 2012, appearing as both a defender and a forward. She finished with nine points on the season on three goals and three assists. Her best game of the season came at Winthrop where she notched a career-high three points with a goal and an assist to help the Panthers come back from 2-0 down and draw WU on the road.

Whittaker has appeared in 89 career games with 74 starts for HPU, playing as a forward, a midfielder and a defender at various times during her HPU career. Her 89 appearancesShe finished her time at High Point with seven goals and three assists and was a three-time Big South All-Conference selection.

Whittaker has resided over the most successful period in the history of the High Point women’s soccer program. She helped to lead HPU to Big South Tournament Championships in 2009 and 2010 as well as regular-season titles in 2010 and 2012. Whittaker was the MVP of the 2010 Big South Conference Tournament.

Whittaker graduated this spring with a degree in Biology, finishing with a GPA of 3.98. She was named to the Big South All Academic Team in 2012 and is a four-time Millis Scholar-Athlete and three-time member of the Big South Presidential Honor Roll.

Away from the field, Whittaker has been involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys & Girls Club. She has been a part of High Point’s food drives and Samaritan’s Feet efforts, as well as serving as a tutor at Fairmont Park Baptist Church in High Point. Whittaker has also spent time volunteering with the Miracle League of High Point and was a member of the APPLE Conference Team. She also spent four years with Athletes in Action as a Servant Leader.

Whittaker is the first High Point student-athlete to be named a finalist for the Big South Woman of the Year Award.