According to a press release, recent Stevens Institute of Technology graduate Laura Barito was named 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year during an award ceremony Sunday night.

The 21^st annual event was held in Indianapolis. Barito was one of a record-setting 471 nominees who were paired down to nine finalists.

"It definitely puts together everything that I’ve been striving to do for, not even the last four years, but my entire life,” Barito is quoted in the press release.

Barito, who hails from Arkadelphia, Arkansas, has won national titles in both swimming (the 50 yard freestyle) and track (the 400-meter hurdle).

During her time at Stevens, Barito was named the Empire 8 Conference Athlete of the Week six times for swimming and three times for track. She was twice selected as Stevens Athlete of the Year.

Barito is currently pursuing a Ph.D in mechanical engineering and bio-mechanics at the University of Delaware. She is also training to compete in the U.S. national swimming championships in December.