Bridget Sloan receives her second Honda Award for gymnastics Monday in Los Angeles. She also claimed the award as the top collegiate gymnast as a freshman in 2013.
Florida’s Bridget Sloan at 2016 Honda Sports Award ceremony
Monday, June 27, 2016 | Gymnastics
Share:
By: Mary Howard, UAA
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Collegiate Women Sports Award presented by Honda went to Connecticut basketball player Breanna Stewart Monday evening in a nationally televised show on CBS Sports Network. Joining Bridget Sloan at the Honda Award ceremony were her parents Jeff and Mary Sloan.
The Collegiate Women Sports Award brings the 12 student-athlete who represent the top in NCAA-sanctioned sport to Los Angeles. The 12 are narrowed to three finalists. This year, the three finalists were: Stewart, Sierra Romero (Michigan/softball) and Raquel Rodriguez (Penn State/soccer).
Florida was represented Monday by Bridget Sloan. She is a two-time winner of the Honda Award for gymnastics, also receiving the 2013 honor. A Gator gymnast has now won the honor five times.
This is the 40th year for this prestigious award. One Gator has twice been named the top collegiate female athlete of the year. Gator Great swimmer Tracy Caulkins shared the 1983-84 Broderick Cup (previous name of award) with Southern California's Cheryl Miller and also won as a freshman in 1981-82. Caulkins was among the 22 past Cup winners in attendance in Los Angeles for the 2016 CWSA event to help celebrate the 40th anniversary. Bridget Sloan (left) with Tracy Caulkins Stockwell. Caulkins Stockwell won the Broderick Cup (previous name for award) in 1982 and again in 1984. She was among the 22 past Cup winners who reunited for the Award's 40th anniversary. What Sloan Said:
"It was an honor to be here. I won it as a freshman and was here again as a senior and both times were amazing experiences. This year was kind of topped off my incredible journey at the University of Florida and my gymnastics career, which has given me so much.
"What an experience to be here surrounded by all these amazing women. The Honda Cup winners who joined this year's event for the 40th anniversary were inspiring. I look at them, see all that they have done and think 'I can do it too.' They enhanced the whole experience.
"It was a great opportunity to meet people and learn from them. It has inspired me to get involved with the Collegiate Women's Sports Award in the future." – Florida senior gymnast Bridget Sloan
How the Sloan got to L.A.:
After the conclusion of each of the 12 recognized sport seasons, the Honda Sport Award sends a ballot with four sport finalists to administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Sloan finished her collegiate career with a spectacular senior season. Here's the stats that earned this outstanding senior her sport's highest honor in 2016:
Sloan in 2016:
NCAA all-around champion and shared NCAA titles for uneven bars and balance beam. The three wins gives her the Florida record for career NCAA event titles (6). Six event titles is third all-time in the 35-year history of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships.
First Gator and only gymnast in 2016 to earn All-America first-team honors in each of the five events in NCAA Championships' competition. Florida's career leader with 16 All-America honors earned at NCAAs.
Only gymnast in nation to earn All-America honors in each event of the NACGC regular-season awards (first team – all-around, bars, beam, floor; second team – vault).
Top all-arounder in NCAA Super Six (39.65). Super Six all-around leader three of her four seasons.
NACGC Southeast Region Gymnast of the Year.
Six-time SEC Gymnast of the Week in 2016.
Three 10.0s in 2016 [two beam & one floor]. Only gymnast in nation to earn multiple beam 10.0s
Of the six gymnasts in the nation to post an all-around total of 39.70 or better in 2016, Sloan is only one with multiple appearances (39.775/twice; 39.70/once). Of the three to earn the nation's high of 39.775 this season, Sloan is only one to earn the total twice.
Led Gators with 27 event titles (nine all-around, seven bars, five beam, four floor, two vault)
Florida's career leader for:
All-Around wins (27)
Event titles (95)
10.0 marks (8)
Honda Contributes to Each School:
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., sponsor of the program, celebrates each nominee by donating $5,000 to each Honda Sports Award recipient school and $1,000 to each nominee school.
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:
