Auburn's Kerron Stewart wins the Honda Award

By Andy Gray

Auburn University senior Kerron Stewart has been chosen as the nation's top female track and field athlete for 2007. The honor is based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, now in its 31st year. Stewart's victory will earn her the Honda Sports Award, given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with an automatic nomination for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

"It feels really good to win an award that so many great athletes have received," said Stewart. "In my first season at Auburn, I was able to train with former Honda Award Winner, Elva Goulbourne (2003), and now to be recognized as one of the best athletes in track and field is great! It is an honor to win an award that Jackie-Joyner Kersee has also won for track & field. She is a model to female athletes everywhere and has helped give women in sports the recognition they deserve."

Stewart, a St. Catherine, Jamaica native, recently capped an undefeated season, winning a national NCAA title in the 200m with a time of 22.42, just 0.01 seconds shy of breaking her own school record, which she set at the Mideast Regional Championships. At that meet she broke both the regional and stadium records and recorded what currently ranks as the fourth fastest time in the world for a female runner. Stewart was also this year's NCAA indoor champion in 60m and 200m and was chosen National, South Region and SEC Indoor Track Athlete of Year.

An adult education major, Stewart is slated to graduate from Auburn in the fall and currently has a 3.14 GPA. Upon graduation, Kerron plans on trying out for the Olympics but also would like to work in a field in which she can help children.