The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Okolo nominated for Honda Sports Award
06.16.2014 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Sophomore, who won two national titles at last week’s NCAA Outdoor meet, is one of four nominees for nation’s top female track and field athlete
Courtney Okolo was named one of four nominees Monday for the Honda Sports Award for women's track and field.
The award is presented annually by the THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA--sanctioned sports and signifies "the best of the best in collegiate athletics."
The winner of each sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2014 Honda Cup. The nominees for track and field were chosen by a group of experts representing the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Sharika Nelvis (Arkansas State), Jenna Prandini (Oregon) and Kenell Williams (Georgia) joined Okolo, who won a pair of national titles at last week's NCAA Outdoor Championships, as women's track and field nominees.
The Honda Sports award winner for track & field will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Okolo is an eight-time USTFCCCA first-team All-American, including earning five this season. She won the 400 meters at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor meet in the third-fastest time - 50.23 seconds - in collegiate history. Okolo also ran the anchor leg of the winning 4x400-meter relay that set a meet record in posting the second-fastest time (3:24.21) in NCAA history, and the third leg of the third-place 4x100m relay. She had a total of 14 points to help the Longhorns finish second at the meet.
The native of Carrollton, Texas, is a 10-time All-Big 12 honoree who won a pair of league outdoor titles in 2014. She broke the 400-meter collegiate record (50.03) at the Big 12 Outdoor meet, as well as running the third leg of the victorious 4x100m relay. During the 2014 outdoor season, she ran a leg on three of the top 11 all-time 4x400m performances in NCAA history. She also was the second leg of the runner-up 4x400 relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships with the unit posting the second-fastest time (3:27.42) in collegiate history.
The Honda Cup winner will be announced during the live telecast of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards show presented by Honda at 7 pm Central, on Monday, June 30, at the USC Founders Club at Galen Center in Los Angeles.
