CANTON, Ga. - Millsaps College senior Elyse Warren has been named the Southern Athletic Association Woman of the Year, becoming the first student-athlete in Majors history to earn the conference's highest honor recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.
Warren's selection caps one of the most distinguished careers ever assembled by a Millsaps student-athlete. A mathematics and neuro and cognitive science major with minors in chemistry and psychology, she has maintained a 3.907 cumulative grade-point average while pursuing an extensive portfolio of research, teaching, and campus leadership opportunities.
A three-time Rhodes Scholarship Finalist, Warren has earned recognition as a CSC Academic All-District selection and a four-time member of the SAA Academic Honor Roll, posting five semesters with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Her academic achievements include receiving Millsaps' highest academic scholarship, serving as a Biochemistry Ford Fellow, and being named the 2025-26 General Russell E. Dougherty National Leader of the Year, Omicron Delta Kappa's highest undergraduate leadership honor. She was also elected to the Millsaps Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026.
Her scholarly pursuits have extended well beyond the classroom. Warren has conducted research in neuroscience, biochemistry, neuropharmacology, and organic chemistry through internships and fellowships at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and Millsaps College. Her work has focused on subjects ranging from non-opioid analgesics to cancer stem cell research and kinase inhibitors designed to combat cancer-related metabolic dysregulation.
Warren's impact on campus has been equally remarkable. She currently serves as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Head Chair of the Honor Council, President of the National Honor Society in Neuroscience, President of Omicron Delta Kappa, and Vice President of Major Lifts. She has also dedicated her time as a teaching assistant in chemistry and physics courses, a Ford Teaching Fellow, and a mentor to first-year students through the Pathways Program.
Committed to serving others, Warren volunteers with the American Cancer Society CARES program, helping establish Mississippi's first cohort and providing education and support to cancer patients and survivors. She also serves as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Hotline and works with the A Step Ahead Foundation to promote women's reproductive health education and access.
On the court, Warren leaves behind one of the most accomplished basketball careers in conference history. A team captain and four-time All-Conference selection, she was named the 2025-26 SAA Defensive Athlete of the Year, earned First Team All-Conference honors, and was selected to the D3hoops.com All-Region First Team while also claiming 2026 WBCA NCAA Division III Coaches’ All-America Honorable Mention. She was also recognized nationally as a Jostens Trophy Finalist and U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Player of the Week.
Warren rewrote the SAA record book, establishing conference career, season, and single-game rebounding records with 1,219 career rebounds, 479 rebounds in a season, and 33 rebounds in a game. She also scored 1,236 career points, becoming the first 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound player in Millsaps women's basketball history. During her career, the Majors captured two SAA regular-season championships, two SAA Tournament titles, and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Whether in the laboratory, the classroom, the community, or on the basketball court, Warren has exemplified the ideals of a Division III student-athlete. Her selection as the 2025-2026 Southern Athletic Association Woman of the Year recognizes a legacy of academic excellence, servant leadership, and athletic achievement that has left a lasting impact on Millsaps College and the Southern Athletic Association.
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YEAR
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WOMAN OF THE YEAR
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2026
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Elyse Warren (MILL) - Basketball
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2025
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Gracie Walker (CEN) - Golf
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2024
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Jazzy Innis (BER) - Volleyball
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2023
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Sarah Hsu (OU) - Golf
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2022
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Cameron Zak (CEN) - Soccer
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2021
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Abby Kay Choate (BSC) - Soccer & Kristin Dean (CEN) - Soccer
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2020
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Rebecca Erwin (BSC) - Swim
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2019
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Annie Rodenfels (CEN) - Cross Country & Track
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2018
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Sara Dyslin (HEN) - Volleyball & Basketball
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2017
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Mackenzie Cohen (RHO) - Golf
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2016
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Emily Javadi (SEW) - Golf
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2015
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Bronte Goodhue (SEW) - Tennis
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2014
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Elizabeth Bromirski (BSC) - Basketball & Track
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2013
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Jenny Liles (SEW) - Tennis
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For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at
www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.