May 30, 2007
South Carolina’s Natasha Hastings is one of four track and field nominees for the 2006-2007 Honda Sports Award to determine the top woman collegiate athlete in that sport. The voting will take place in early June and the winner will then become a candidate for the Honda-Broderick Cup awarded annually to the top Collegiate Woman of the Year.
Hastings is South Carolina’s second finalist as Miki Barber was nominated in 2000 after she won the NCAA title and made the USA Olympic team. South Carolina All-American softball player Trinity Johnson won the Honda Award in softball in 1997.
2006-2007 Track and Field Honda Sports Award Nominees:
Natasha Hastings University of South Carolina
Sally Kipyego Texas Tech
Sarah Stevens Arizona State University
Kerron Stewart Auburn University
“We are so honored. It couldn’t happen to a finer student-athlete. We as a University are also honored because it speaks more of the university than of just the student,” said South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye. “This just adds to the national award we won last year as the Outdoor All-Academic Team of the Year. Natasha is a perfect example for ladies to follow and one of the finest student-athletes in track and field. This awards speaks to that.”
“I am excited. I didn’t know I was up for it – so I am surprised. I know Sally’s name – she is a really good distance runner. I have run against Kerron – she is so talented. Sarah is also very good. To be put in the same category with these young ladies is an honor as well,” said Hastings. “I am really looking for the NCAA Championships – I am really excited. It’s a hard feeling to explain – you’ve been training for it all year and it’s finally almost here.”
Hastings shattered the NCAA East Region record both the 200m and 400m – winning both titles and leading USC to a runner-up finish at the East Region Championship. Her time of 50.23 is the third fastest time EVER run by a collegiate in the 400m and is currently the top time in the world. She led USC to the NCAA East Region 4×4 title and ran the second leg of the 4×1 that placed third – with both qualifying for the NCAA Championships. A junior who set the collegiate record indoors when she won the 400m NCAA title, she also ran the anchor leg of the winning 4x400m relay at NCAAs. She won the 400m title at the SEC Outdoor Championships and finished fourth in the 200m. She also ran a leg on the winning 4x100m relay and the winning 4x400m relay – running a 49.6 as the anchor leg of the 4×4. She is an OUTSTANDING STUDENT and is a member of the Honors College.
The winner after nationwide balloting will become a candidate for The Honda-Broderick Cup awarded annually to the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. The ballot will be emailed to all NCAA senior women administrators Thursday, May 31.*
In addition to the honor of this selection, American Honda will donate $1,000 to the women’s athletic fund of each nominee’s university. The winner’s program will receive $5,000.
