Freestyle swimmer Jessica Martin, who helped lead Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.) to the NCAA Division II national championship by winning four individual events and contributing to two championship relay teams, has been named winner of the Honda Award as the NCAA Division II Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year, following national balloting among NCAA-member schools.
As the Div. II Honda Award winner, Martin, a senior from Buckingham, Iowa (Cedar Falls H.S.), finished first at the NCAA Division II Swimming Championships in the 200-, 500-, 1000- and 1,650-yard freestyles. Her time of 9:55.86 in the 1000 free set the NCAA Division II record, as she finished more than a lap ahead of her nearest competitor. Martin also set school records in the 500 (4:52.72) and mile (16:45.01). Additionally, Martin was part of Truman's record-breaking and championship 200- (1:34.17) and 800-yard (7:31.03) freestyle relay teams. She swam the second leg for the winning 200- and second-place 400-yard freestyle relay teams, and anchored the title-winning 800 free relay squad. Martin was named the NCAA Division II women's swimmer of the year by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, completing her career as a national champion in a total of seven events.
Martin will receive her Honda Award at the 25th Annual Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Banquet, June 11 at Salt Lake City, Utah, site of the 2001 NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) Convention. In addition to honoring the collegiate women athletes of the year among Division II and Division III schools, the Honda Award is presented annually to the most outstanding college woman athletes in 12 sports, who are also candidates to receive the Honda-Broderick Cup as 2000-01 Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. The winner will be determined by separate balloting of all NCAA-member institutions.
Honda-Broderick Cup finalists for 2000-01 are: Jen Adams (lacrosse) of Maryland, Mohini Bhardwaj (gymnastics) of UCLA, Greichaly Cepero (volleyball) of Nebraska, Marina DiGiacomo (field hockey) of Old Dominion, Jennie Finch (softball) of Arizona, Meredith Florance (soccer) of North Carolina, Laura Granville (tennis) of Stanford, Kara Grgas-Wheeler (cross country) of Colorado, Candy Hannemann (golf) of Duke, Misty Hyman (swimming and diving) of Stanford, Jackie Stiles (basketball) of Southwest Missouri State and Brenda Taylor (track & field) of Harvard. All Honda Award winners are automatically nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year honors.
The Honda Inspiration Award, honoring the collegiate woman athlete who has overcome great physical adversity to contribute to the recognizable success of her team, will be presented to swimmer Kendra Berner of Davidson (N.C.) College, who despite a congenital deformation of her right hand, swam her team's fastest time this season and the second-fastest in school history (24.86) for the 50 freestyle at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships.
The awards program is sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
