Florida softball senior Lauren Haeger wins 2015 Honda Sports Award
Wednesday, June 10, 2015 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida senior Lauren Haeger is the 2015 softball recipient of the Honda Sports Award, designating the Peoria, Arizona, native as the nation's best 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 39th year.
| Gator Honda Sports Award Recipients | ||
| Name | Sport | Year |
| Lauren Haeger | Softball | 2015 |
| Kytra Hunter | Gymnastics | 2015 |
| Bridget Sloan | Gymnastics | 2013 |
| Kytra Hunter | Gymnastics | 2012 |
| Kelsey Bruder | Softball | 2011 |
| Caroline Burckle | Swimming | 2008 |
| Danielle Fotopoulos | Soccer | 1998 |
| Jill Craybas | Tennis | 1996 |
| Nicole Haislett | Swimming | 1994 |
| Lisa Raymond | Tennis | 1993 |
| Lisa Raymond | Tennis | 1992 |
| Shaun Stafford | Tennis | 1988 |
| Page Dunlap | Golf | 1986 |
| Tracy Caulkins | Swimming | 1984^ |
| Tracy Caulkins | Swimming | 1983 |
| Tracy Caulkins | Swimming | 1982^ |
| Ann Woods | Gymnastics | 1982 |
| Renee Laravie | Swimming | 1978 |
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| ^Recipient of Broderick Cup (previous name of Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award | ||
The 2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year becomes the second Gator Softball player to win the Honda award (Kelsey Bruder – 2011).
Named the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's College World Series last week, Haeger is a two-time national champion (2014, 2015), a two-time All-American (First Team – 2013 and 2015) and the 2015 SEC Pitcher of the Year. Below is a glimpse at Haeger's 2015 and career highlights:
Lauren Haeger
2015 NFCA First Team All-American
2013 NFCA First Team All-American
*2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year
*2015 SEC Pitcher of the Year
*2015 WCWS Most Outstanding Player
*Holds the SEC record for career home runs (71) and the Florida benchmark for career RBI (260)
*Carries a 73-12 career pitching record. Her 71 homeruns and 73 wins makes her and Babe Ruth (yes, that Babe Ruth) the only players NCAA softball, NCAA baseball or Major League Baseball history to hit 70+ home runs and win 70+ games in a career.
*Finished the season with a 32-2 record after beginning the year with 24 consecutive victories to mark the best start to a campaign in Gator history
*Earned the win in Game 1 of each of Florida's eight SEC series
TRIO OF HONORS FOR HAEGER
Haeger is the third softball player to win the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year, the WCWS Most Outstanding Player and the Honda Awards in the same season (also: Keilani Ricketts, Oklahoma – 2013; Danielle Lawrie, Washington – 2009).
NOW WHAT?
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, Haeger 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 9 p.m. ET from Los Angeles, California.
THEY SAID
On winning the Honda Award:
"It was such an honor to hear that I was nominated for the Honda Award, so it was wonderful to find out I was chosen as the winner. Thank you to the Honda Award program for sponsoring this honor which means so much to so many women's collegiate athletes. I'd also like to thank my Gator teammates and coaches for all their support – it truly has been amazing to be a part of this program.”— Lauren Haeger
On Haeger winning the Honda Award:
“First of all thank you to the Collegiate Women Sports Awards and Honda for this recognition of Lauren Haeger and her tremendous season on the softball field. This is an outstanding accomplishment for Lauren for her great season and for the unbelievable career she had for the Florida Gators. This is a very prestigious award for both Lauren and all of her teammates who helped her achieve this award.” — Florida Head Coach Tim Walton
| 2014-15 Honda Sports Award Recipients | |||
| 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: | |||
| Sport | Name | Yr | School |
| Basketball | Breanna Stewart | JR | Connecticut |
| Cross Country | Kate Avery | JR | Iona |
| Field Hockey | Paula Heuser | SO | Albany |
| Golf | Emma Talley | JR | Alabama |
| Gymnastics | Kytra Hunter | SR | Florida |
| Lacrosse | Taylor Cummings | JR | Maryland |
| Soccer | Sam Mewis | SR | UCLA |
| Softball | Lauren Haeger | SR | Florida |
| Swimming/Diving | Missy Franklin | SO | California |
| Volleyball | Krista Vansant | JR | Washington |
| Honda Award winners in tennis and track & field will be announced later this month. | |||
HONDA AWARD x 2 FOR GATORS IN 2015
Haeger's honor is the second Honda Award for the University of Florida in 2015. Last month, Kytra Hunter claimed the Honda Award for gymnastics.
Florida last had multiple winners of the honor in 1982 when it was named the Broderick Award (Ann Woods – gymnastics; Tracy Caulkins-swimming). Caulkins claimed her first of two Broderick Cups that season as the overall top collegiate female athlete of the year.
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.”
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