The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas wins three ESPYs
07.13.2006 | Softball
LOS ANGELES -- Former Texas softball pitching ace Cat Osterman took home honors as "Best Female College Athlete" for the second consecutive year, while the Texas football team won in two categories at the 2006 ESPY Awards on Wednesday night (July 12) at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood during the annual ESPN-based awards show which recognizes the year's best performances, best moments and stories from the past year in sports.
In the last two years (2004-05 and 2005-06), Osterman has earned tremendous accolades as a two-time recipient of the Honda Award as Softball National Player of the Year and the ESPY as "Best College Female Athlete". The four-time All-American, who finished her collegiate career as the NCAA's all-time strikeout leader (2,265), led Texas to the Women's College World Series three times (in 2003, 2005 and 2006). In each of those three years, she also earned USA Softball National Player of the Year and Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year honors as well.
In the "Best Female College Athlete" category, Osterman was nominated along with four other superstar collegians: All-American basketball guard Seimone Augustus (LSU), volleyball setter Courtney Thompson from the University of Washington, USC hurdler Virginia Powell and University of Portland soccer striker Christine Sinclair.
The Longhorn football team won in the "Best Game" category for its win over USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl. The category also included Andre Agassi versus James Blake in the U.S Open and the Houston Astros versus the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series.
Meanwhile, former UT quarterback Vince Young took home the award for "Best Championship Performance", a category which included tennis' Venus Williams in the 2005 Wimbledon, Indycar's Sam Hornish, Jr., in the 2006 Indianapolis 500 and Miami Heat guard Duane Wade in the 2006 NBA Finals.
The cable network said a record 12.1 million votes were tabulated, with fans voting online to decide the winners for the third consecutive year.
Due to her USA Softball National Team commitments, Osterman could not attend the ESPYs this year. She is in training with the USA squad as it prepares to open play at the World Cup of Softball. The World Cup runs from Thursday-Monday, July 13-17 in Oklahoma City.
The full broadcast of the 2006 ESPYs will air Sunday, July 16, at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
