BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Recent Western Washington University graduate Bethany Drake has been selected as the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) Women's West Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year, recognized as one of 17 regional award winners announced by the organization.

The D2 CCA scholar-athlete honorees were comprised of nine women's regional winners and eight men's regional winners with 10 NCAA II sports represented among the selections. From the list of 17 regional award winners, senior women's golfer Marie Coors of Saint Leo University and senior men's basketball player Adam Klie of UC San Diego were selected as the Division II Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Initiated in 1992 to promote its member conferences and institutions, D2 CCA has made its mark in providing a united front for NCAA Division II athletics. Created after the break-up of the College Division Commissioners Association, the D2 CCA continues to create lines of communication and opportunities for its member conferences. The D2 CCA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 53rd year.

The scholar-athlete regional honor adds to an illustrious list of athletic and academic accomplishments for Drake (Sandy, OR), a three-time All-American and two-time national champion in the javelin as well as a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) First Team Academic-All American.

Capping her WWU track & field career in 2017 with her second NCAA II javelin title (also won in 2014), Drake was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the NCAA Division II U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Female Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year during her senior season.

After previously graduating with a bachelor's degree in art education carrying a 3.87 cumulative grade point average, Drake walked again in June of 2017 with a perfect 4.00 GPA while obtaining her Master in Teaching as she pursues a career as an art teacher. In addition to CoSIDA Academic All-American honors, Drake became a three-time GNAC Academic All-Star and was also named WWU's co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year during her senior year.

Drake is also in the running for another prestigious honor as one of 34 Division II student-athletes remaining from a pool of 117 Division II nominees for the NCAA Woman of the Year program, which recognizes graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The top 30 nominees, 10 from each NCAA Division, will be named in early September.