Former University of Hawaii softball standout Kelly (Majam) Elms is among nine finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA today announced the list of finalists for the award recognizing graduating student-athletes for achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.

Elms had already earned an invitation to attend the awards ceremony in Indianapolis on Oct. 20 as part of the top 30 from an initial pool of more than 450 nominees. From that group, three nominees from Division I, II and III were then selected to make up the nine finalists.

BYU-Hawaii tennis player I-Hsuan (Annie) Hwang also made the top 30.

Elms completed her UH softball career in May as the program’s all-time leader in home runs, doubles, runs scored and walks while posting a .335 batting average. She was named to the NFCA All-West Region team three times and was a second-team All-American in 2010.

Elms graduated in the spring with a degree in secondary education in health and physical education. She earned scholar-athlete honors from the Western Athletic Conference and Big West Conference each of her four years and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team in May.

After suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fall of her freshman year at UH, Elms started all 232 games over the next four years, helping the Rainbow Wahine to a 176-56 record and three conference championships. She maintained her streak of starts in center field despite undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer in 2010.

Joining Elms among the nine finalists are Elena Crosley (Bowdoin College, field hockey), Elizabeth Duffy (Concordia, volleyball), Kaaren Hatlen (Pacific Lutheran, softball), Alexandra Maseko (Seton Hall, basketball), Ifeatu Okafor (Texas Tech, track and field), Kayla Shull (Clarion University, swimming), Bridgett Soares (Long Island University/LIU Post, lacrosse), Lya Swaner (East Texas Baptist, softball).