Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presents Ashland University's Kari Daugherty With The 2012 Honda Sports Award Division II Player Of The Year

LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kari Daugherty has been chosen as the Honda Sports Award Division II Athlete of the Year after she led her Ashland University basketball team to a 33-2 season and an appearance in the NCAA Division II women's basketball finals. Her selection by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program recognizes Daugherty as the top Division II female athlete.

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The Collegiate Women Sports Awards Board of Directors will present Daugherty with the Honda Sports Award Division II Player of the Year on June 23 as part of the live broadcast of the Honda Cup announcement from the ESPN Studios in Los Angeles, Calif.

The junior forward from Dayton, Ohio, was named the State Farm/WBCA NCAA Division II Player of the Year. She led the nation in rebounding (14.1 per game) and double-doubles (27) and was a key factor in her team's 33-game win streak, a school record, and its appearance in the NCAA championship game. She was named to the All-NCAA Tournament Team and was the NCAA Division II Midwest Tournament MVP, setting tournament records for rebounds (95) and field goals (56).  She also posted the only triple-double in school history. 

"This award is such an honor," said Daugherty. "To be chosen for something like this, especially when I look at all of the amazing women that participated in Division II this year, is truly amazing. The whole year has been such a blessing from God, from the first day of preseason, to losing in overtime in the national title game, to being awarded this honor. I could not have done any of this without my coaches, teammates and family."

Daugherty is a middle grades education major and was a two-time first team All-Ohio player while at River View High School in Dayton. Her high school team won the state championships in 2006 and 2007 and Daugherty was the state co-player of the year in 2009.

The Honda Sports Award for Division II Athlete of the Year is presented annually to the top woman athlete, chosen from 11 NCAA-sanctioned sports, with each having one nominee derived from coaches' panels, All-America committees or finish at the respective national championship.   Sports include: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Hagensen was chosen by a vote of coaches from NCAA member schools. Finalists included Neely Spence of Shippenburg University for cross country, Amanda Riley of Bloomburg University for field hockey, Abbey Gittings of Nova Southeastern University for golf, Tori Dugan of West Chester University for lacrosse, Carmelina Puopolo of the College of Saint Rose for soccer, Samantha Derr of Kutztown University for softball, Amanda Thomas of Southern Connecticut State University for swimming and diving, Barbara Krtickova of Armstrong Atlantic State University for tennis, Betsy Graney of Grand Valley State University  for track and field, and Samantha Middleborn of Cal State San Bernardino for volleyball.

The Honda Sports Award program recognizes the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports culminating in the presentation of the Collegiate Women Sports Award's top prize, the prestigious Honda Cup.  Since Honda began its involvement in 1986, the company has provided more than $2.5 million in institutional grants to the universities of nominees and award winners.  As the Division II Player of the Year, Daugherty joins an impressive roster of current honorees, including Sheila Reid of Villanova University (Cross Country), Megan Frazer of the University of Maryland (Field Hockey), Teresa Noyola of Stanford University (Soccer), Alex Jupiter of the University of Southern California (Volleyball), Caitlin Leverenz of the University of California, Berkeley (Swimming & Diving), Brittney Griner of Baylor University (Basketball), Kytra Hunter of the University of Florida (Gymnastics), Brooke Pancake of the University of Alabama (Golf), Taylor Thornton of Northwestern University (Lacrosse), Nicole Gibbs of Stanford University (Tennis),  2012 Honda Division III Athlete of the Year Stacey Hagensen of Pacific Lutheran University (Softball), and 2012 Honda Inspiration Award winner Elena Delle Donne of the University of Delaware (Basketball).  Previous Honda Cup winners include 2012 Olympians, 2-time Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor, Gold Medalist Canadace Parker, Maya Moore, and sports legends Ann Meyers Drysdale, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mia Hamm, Lisa Fernandez and Courtney Kupets.

Media Contacts:

CWSA Media Contact, Ann Herold
310-963-1860, [email protected]

Ashland University Sports Information Director Al King
419-289-5442, [email protected]

SOURCE Honda Sports Award