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SAN DIEGO, CA -- Sue Bird, whose 14 points and clutch
free throws in the national championship game helped lead the University
of Connecticut to the NCAA basketball title and complete a 39-0
season record, has been named the top woman collegiate athlete in
her sport for the 2001-02 collegiate year, according to the results
of national balloting among NCAA-member schools.
Previous Honda Award winners for basketball include Southwest Missouri
State's Jackie Stiles (2001), Tennessee's Chamique Holdsclaw (1998),
Connecticut's Jennifer Rizzotti (1996) and Rebecca Lobo (1995),
USC's Cheryl Miller (1984), Old Dominion's Nancy Lieberman (1979),
UCLA's Ann Meyers (1978) and the inaugural winner, Delta State's
Lucy Harris (1977). All were also named Collegiate Woman Athlete
of the Year.
At Connecticut, the four seniors combined for two national championships,
four BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles and three trips
to the final four. They boasted an overall record of 136-9 over
their four-year careers.
Bird will be joined later this year by other women collegiate athletes
voted as the most outstanding in the sports of golf, gymnastics,
lacrosse, softball, tennis and track & field, plus previously
announced winners Tara Chaplin (cross country) or Arizona, Natalie
Coughlin (swimming and diving) of California, Logan Tom (volleyball)
of Stanford, Aly Wagner (soccer) of Santa Clara and Autumn Welsh
(field hockey) of Maryland. All Honda Award winners are automatically
nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year honors.
The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate
balloting involving all NCAA-member institutions. The announcement
of the winner and presentation of the Honda-Broderick Cup will be
made at the 26th annual Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year banquet,
June 17 at Dallas, TX, site of the 2002 National Association of
Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. sponsors the awards program.
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