Lets give a round of applause for the ladies!
As we all know, women take a back seat to men when it comes to sports (see my previous article on why doesn’t the WNBA get any love?). Men’s athletics get more television time than women’s athletics and that also holds true for award ceremonies, i.e. the Heisman trophy presentation.
Well today I want to shine the spotlight on the women and bring notice to 12 outstanding collegiate women athletics. On June 27, 12 of the NCAA’s most talented female athletes in swimming, lacrosse, golf, tennis, basketball, volleyball, field hockey, gymnastics and track and field will receive a Collegiate Women’s Sport Award – the highest award given to collegiate female athletics.
The following winners are:
-Blair Brown, Penn State University – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Volleyball
-Kelsey Bruder, University of Florida – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Softball
-Melissa Henderson, University of Notre Dame – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Soccer
-Kayla Hoffman, University of Alabama – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Gymnastics
-Katinka Hosszu, University of Southern California – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Swimming & Diving
-Jana Juricova, University of California, Berkeley – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Tennis
-Sammy Macy, University of Massachusetts Lowell – Division II Athlete of the Year (Field Hockey)
-Maya Moore, University of Connecticut and current forward for the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Basketball
-Katie O’Donnell, University of Maryland – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Field Hockey
-Sheila Reid, Villanova University – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Track & Field and 2011 Honda Sports Award in Cross Country
-Shannon Smith, Northwestern University – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Lacrosse
-Kendra Stern, Amherst College – Division III Athlete of the Year (Swimming)
-Marta Silva Zamora, University of Georgia – 2011 Honda Sports Award in Golf
Jessica Breland, graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and current forward for the WNBA’s New York Liberty is the 2011 recipient of the 23rd annual Honda Inspiration Award.
Maya Moore, Blair Brown and Sheila Reid were also named the top three finalist of the Honda-Broderick Cup (Collegiate Women Athlete of the Year). The winner will be announced during the awards ceremony at Columbia University in New York City.
It’s great that these young women are being recognized and honored for the talents. They have worked hard in their prospective sport and they need to be spotlighted for that. If your in New York City on June 27, please go and show your support for them to let them know that women athletics are just as important and respected as men athletics.