WATERVILLE, Maine - University of Maine at Farmington senior Skye Cotnoir (West Gardiner, Maine) was named a finalist for the 2026 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Woman of the Year, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday afternoon.
The NAC Woman of the Year award is modeled after the former NCAA Woman of the Year award, which, prior to this summer, was presented annually to a graduating student-athlete in recognition of academic achievement, athletic excellence, community service, leadership, and a written personal statement. The personal statement is intended to illustrate how the student-athlete's community service and experiences as a scholar, athlete, and leader on campus and in the community have influenced their life and shaped them into the person they are today.
Member institutions of the NAC nominate student-athletes from their own campuses. The conference's Athletic Directors and Senior Woman Administrators vote to select the NAC Woman of the Year. The academic excellence portion of the award is based on the student-athlete's grade point average. The athletic success component is evaluated based on the nominee's individual and team accomplishments and honors. The leadership and service section is scored based on the nominee's leadership activities and roles throughout their collegiate career. The community service portion is evaluated based on the student-athlete's involvement in volunteer and community service initiatives. Lastly, each institution scores the nominated student-athletes' personal statements to help determine a final score for each nominee.
The NAC Woman of the Year award is the highest honor bestowed annually by the conference office.
Cotnoir has been a key member of the University of Maine at Farmington women's lacrosse team for the past three years, serving as a captain during each of the past two seasons. Cotnoir joined the team as a sophomore and played defense during her first season. During her junior and senior seasons, Cotnoir served as the Beavers' goalkeeper. As a sophomore, Cotnoir was named to the NAC Second Team All-Conference after finishing the season with 15 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. As a goalkeeper over the past two seasons, Cotnoir posted a 7-20 record while making 262 total saves. She recorded a 13.41 goals-against average as a junior and a 12.18 goals-against average as a senior.
Academically, Cotnoir completed her bachelor's degree in Outdoor Recreation Business Administration this past May. She was named to the NAC All-Academic Team following the 2024 and 2025 seasons and is likely to earn the honor again in 2026 when recipients are announced later this summer. Cotnoir was also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team in both 2024 and 2025. Following the 2026 season, Cotnoir was named the NAC Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year, as voted on by member institution coaches and Faculty Athletics Representatives.
Cotnoir leaves behind a lasting mark on the Farmington athletic community as the founder and department ambassador for Morgan's Message. Morgan's Message's mission is to "amplify stories, resources, and expertise to strengthen student-athlete mental health, build a community by and for athletes through peer-to-peer conversations, and provide a platform for advocacy." The organization was created to honor the life of Morgan Rodgers, a Duke University women's lacrosse student-athlete who tragically lost her battle with mental health in 2019. Cotnoir played a pivotal role in establishing the Farmington chapter and has helped increase mental health resources and advocacy efforts for student-athletes.
Cotnoir embodies what it means to be a Division III student-athlete. She states, "My experiences as a student, athlete, leader, and advocate have shaped my values and sense of purpose."
The winner of the 2026 NAC Woman of the Year award will be announced on Tuesday, June 23, by the NAC conference office.
