Prandini win Honda award

PRANDINI WINS HONDA AWARD

Oregon junior Jenna Prandini was named the Honda Sports Award winner for track & field as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) today.

The Honda Sports Award is presented annually by the CWSA to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. With this honor, Prandini becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2015 Honda Cup, which will be presented on June 29th in a live nationally televised broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET from Los Angeles, Calif.

Prandini was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Kendra Harrison (Kentucky), Akela Jones (Kansas State) and Demi Payne (Stephen F. Austin).

“All of the women nominated are really great athletes so to win this award is an honor,” Jenna Prandini said. “I want to thank my coaches and teammates who have helped and supported me all season long.”

Prandini, a junior at Oregon, scored more points – 49 – at NCAA Championship meets than any other woman in 2015. She won the 100 meters and finished runner-up both at 200 meters and in the long jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for 26 points, while indoors she won the long jump national title, finished runner-up at 200 meters and fourth at 60 meters for 23 points.

Only one collegiate woman in history has run faster over 100 meters than her 10.92 during the outdoor regular season, while her runner-up outdoor 200 performance at NCAAs moved her to No. 4 on the all-time college list in the event. She is also No. 6 on the all-time collegiate indoor list at 200 meters and equal to No. 10 on the all-time collegiate indoor 60 meters list.

“Jenna is an outstanding student-athlete on and off the track and is very deserving of this award after leading our team to a national championship,” Oregon track coach Robert Johnson said. “What she was able to accomplish this season was absolutely amazing and all of us here at the University of Oregon are extremely proud.”

Five other student-athletes from the sport of track & field have gone on to win the prestigious Honda Cup, including Jackie Joyner (UCLA, 1985) and most recently Angela Williams (USC, 2002).

THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 39 years, recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.0 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.