University
of Florida freshman and 2012 NCAA all-around champion Kytra Hunter (Frederick, Md.) is
this year’s Honda
Sports Award recipient for gymnastics, distinguishing her as the nation’s
top collegiate female athlete in the sport. The honor was based on the results
of national balloting among all NCAA member schools as part of The Collegiate
Women Sports Awards program, now in its 36th year.
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2011-12 Honda Sports Award Recipients
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Each
season, The Collegiate Women Sports Awards program recognizes the top
collegiate female student-athlete in 12 sports. Below are the recipients named
so far this season:
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Sport
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Name
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School
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Basketball
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Brittney
Griner
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JR
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Baylor
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Cross
Country
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Sheila
Reid
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RS-SR
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Villanova
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Field
Hockey
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Megan
Frazer
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JR
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Maryland
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Gymnastics
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Kytra Hunter
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FR
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Florida
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Soccer
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Teresa
Noyola
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SR
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Stanford
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Swimming/Diving
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Caitlin
Leverenz
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JR
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California
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Volleyball
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Alex
Jupiter
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SR
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Southern
California
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Hunter
is only the third freshman gymnast to collect the Honda Award and the first since
Georgia’s Hope Spivey in 1991. Hunter is the second Gator gymnast to receive
the honor, as Ann Woods received the 1982 award.
Hunter
used a collegiate-best total of 39.725 to become the first Gator to win the NCAA
all-around title April 20 in Duluth, Ga. She added the vault title on April 22
to become only the fifth in the meet’s 31-year history to win multiple event
titles as a freshman. About a month earlier, Hunter became the first Gator
since 1995 to win the Southeastern Conference all-around title. She also took
the league’s vault title with a collegiate-best 9.975. Hunter, who picked up
the maximum of five All-America honors at the NCAA meet, led the Gators in 2012
with 21 event titles in team competition (seven
floor exercise, six all-around, five vault, two balance beam and one uneven
bars).
The
SEC Freshman of the Year turned in the Gators’ top 2012 scores for all-around
(39.725), vault (9.975) and floor exercise (9.975).
“I
am so honored to receive gymnastics’ Honda Sports Award. My first season of
collegiate competition has been such a wonderful experience,” Hunter said. “I
would like to thank the Collegiate Women Sports Award for sponsoring this
honor. I am also grateful for my coaches, teammates and family because their
strength and support was so important and appreciated. Of course, I must also
thank all the Gator fans who came out to cheer us on – we love performing for
you!”
The
Honda Sports Award is given annually to the top women athletes in 12
NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic eligibility to become a “Top
Three” finalist for Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year and a candidate for
the Honda Cup that is awarded annually to The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the
Year. The ballot listing all 12 individual sports winners will be sent to
all NCAA-member schools on June 14. The top three vote-getters become finalists
for the Collegiate Women Athlete of the Year and travel to Los Angeles for the
2011-12 Honda Cup ceremony on June 22-23.
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Gator Honda Sports Award Recipients
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Name
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Sport
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Year
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Kytra Hunter
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Gymnastics
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2012
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Kelsey
Bruder
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Softball
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2011
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Caroline
Burckle
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Swimming
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2008
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Danielle
Fotopoulos
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Soccer
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1998
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Jill
Craybas
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Tennis
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1996
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Nicole
Haislett
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Swimming
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1994
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Lisa
Raymond
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Tennis
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1993
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Lisa
Raymond
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Tennis
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1992
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Shaun
Stafford
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Tennis
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1988
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Page
Dunlap
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Golf
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1986
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Tracy
Caulkins
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Swimming
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1984^
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Tracy
Caulkins
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Swimming
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1983
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Tracy
Caulkins
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Swimming
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1982^
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Ann
Woods
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Gymnastics
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1982
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Renee
Laravie
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Swimming
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1978
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^Recipient
of Broderick Award (previous name of Collegiate
Woman
Athlete of the Year Award
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The
other nominees for the 2012 award were three senior gymnasts: Amy Glass of
Boise State, Jaime Pisani of Arkansas and Geralen Stack-Eaton of Alabama. The
names of the four nominees were put forward by the United States Elite
Coaches Association.
“This
is an absolutely incredible honor. It is very well-deserved for Kytra. Winning
the all-around in the SEC and NCAA Championships were incredible
accomplishments. Her work ethic, character and determination have played a very
large role in her success this year as a freshman,” Florida head coach Rhonda
Faehn said. “Every title she has won doesn’t even come close to the
happiness she has for contributing to the team and the University of Florida.
“I’d
like to thank The Collegiate Women Sports Awards for sponsoring this honor,”
Faehn continued. “What a wonderful awards program to recognize the achievements
and efforts of such dedicated female student-athletes.”
In
honor of Hunter winning the award, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will donate
$5,000 to the women’s athletic program at the University of Florida. A Gator
has been recognized as a Honda Sports winner 15 times across six different
sports. Gator Great and U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Tracy Caulkins is
the only Gator to win the Broderick Cup, earning the top award in 1982 and
1984.
