Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award explained

The ESPY Award for Best College Athlete, Women's Sports, known before 2021 as the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award, is an annual award honoring the achievements of a female individual from the world of collegiate sports.^[1] It was first presented as part of the ESPY Awards in 2002, following the subsumption of the Best Female College Basketball Player ESPY Award, which was presented annually between the 1993 and 2001 ceremonies, inclusive. The award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan,^[2] is awarded to the sportswoman adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting collegiate sport in the United States through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Since the 2004 awards, the winner has been chosen by online voting through three to five nominees selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee.^{[3] [4]} Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts.^[5] Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.^[6]

The inaugural winner of the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award at the 2002 awards was University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies basketball player Sue Bird. During her collegiate career, Bird won two NCAA championships, and was awarded a further eight accolades for her achievements. She became the first of two basketball players to be nominated for, and hence to win, the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award.^[7] The 2003 winner of the award was another UConn player, Diana Taurasi. Taurasi won the accolade again the following year, and is one of three women, all UConn basketball players, to have received the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award more than once: the most any one woman has won is Maya Moore, who earned three consecutive awards between the 2009 and 2011 ceremonies. Basketball players dominate the winners list, with 14 awards, while softball competitors have won five times, and just one swimmer (the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears' Missy Franklin at the 2015 ESPY Awards) has been recognized in the accolade's history. The most recent winner of the award is Iowa basketball player Caitlin Clark.^[8]

The accolade was combined with the Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award to create the Best College Athlete ESPY Award which was presented for the first time at the 2018 ESPY Awards.^[9] Beginning in 2021, the awards were again separated into men's and women's versions using the current naming scheme.^[10]

Winners and nominees

ESPY Award for Best College Athlete, Women's Sports winners and nominees

scope=col	Year	scope=col class=unsortable	Image	scope=col	Winner	scope=col	University	scope=col	Sport	scope=col class=unsortable	Other nominees	scope=col class=unsortable
2002		scope=row		Connecticut Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Natalie Coughlin – California Golden Bears (Swimming) Jennie Finch – Arizona Wildcats (Softball) Stacey Nuveman – UCLA Bruins (Softball) Jackie Stiles – Missouri State Lady Bears (Basketball)	[11] [12]
2003		scope=row		Connecticut Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Alana Beard – Duke Blue Devils (Basketball) Natalie Coughlin – California Golden Bears (Swimming) Cat Osterman – Texas Longhorns (Softball)	[13] [14]
2004		scope=row	(2)	Connecticut Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Alana Beard – Duke Blue Devils (Basketball) Tara Kirk – Stanford Cardinal (Swimming) Cat Reddick – North Carolina Tar Heels (Soccer) Jessica van der Linden – Florida State Seminoles (Softball)	[15]
2005		scope=row		Texas Longhorns	Softball	align=left	Seimone Augustus – LSU Lady Tigers (Basketball) Nicole Corriero – Harvard Crimson (Ice hockey) Kristen Maloney – UCLA Bruins (Gymnastics) Katie Thorlakson – Notre Dame (Soccer)	[16] [17]
2006		scope=row	(2)	Texas Longhorns	Softball	align=left	Seimone Augustus – LSU Lady Tigers (Basketball) Virginia Powell – USC Trojans (Track and field) Christine Sinclair – Portland Pilots (Soccer) Courtney Thompson – Washington Huskies (Volleyball)	[18] [19]
2007		scope=row		Arizona Wildcats	Softball	align=left	Monica Abbott – Tennessee Lady Volunteers (Softball) Kerri Hanks – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Soccer) Kara Lynn Joyce – Georgia Bulldogs (Swimming)	[20] [21]
2008		scope=row		Tennessee Lady Volunteers	Basketball	align=left	Rachel Dawson – North Carolina Tar Heels (Field hockey) Angela Tincher – Virginia Tech Hokies (Softball)	[22] [23]
2009		scope=row		Connecticut Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Kerri Hanks – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Soccer) Courtney Kupets – Georgia Gymdogs (Gymnastics) Danielle Lawrie – Washington Huskies (Softball) Dana Vollmer – California Golden Bears (Swimming)	[24] [25]
2010		scope=row	(2)	Connecticut Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Tina Charles – Connecticut Huskies (Basketball) Megan Hodge – Penn State Nittany Lions (Volleyball) Megan Langenfeld – UCLA Bruins (Softball)	[26] [27]
2011		scope=row	(3)	Connecticut Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Blair Brown – Penn State Nittany Lions (Volleyball) Dallas Escobedo – Arizona State Sun Devils (Softball) Melissa Henderson – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Soccer) Katinka Hosszú – USC Trojans (Swimming)	[28] [29]
2012		scope=row		Baylor Lady Bears	Basketball	align=left	Alexandra Jupiter – USC Trojans (Volleyball) Caitlin Leverenz – California Golden Bears (Swimming) Teresa Noyola – Stanford Cardinal (Soccer) Jackie Traina – Alabama Crimson Tide (Softball)	[30] [31]
2013		scope=row	(2)	Baylor Lady Bears	Basketball	align=left	Kara Cannizzaro – North Carolina Tar Heels (Lacrosse) Crystal Dunn – North Carolina Tar Heels (Soccer) Keilani Ricketts – Oklahoma Sooners (Softball)	[32] [33]
2014		scope=row		UConn Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Morgan Brian – Virginia Cavaliers (Soccer) Taylor Cummings – Maryland Terrapins (Lacrosse) Micha Hancock – Penn State Nittany Lions (Volleyball) Hannah Rogers – Florida Gators (Softball)	[34] [35]
		scope=row		California Golden Bears	Swimming	align=left	Taylor Cummings – Maryland Terrapins (Lacrosse) Lauren Haeger – Florida Gators (Softball) Micha Hancock – Penn State Nittany Lions (Volleyball) Breanna Stewart – Connecticut Huskies (Basketball)	[36] [37]
2016		scope=row	(2)	UConn Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Samantha Bricio – USC Trojans (Volleyball) Taylor Cummings – Maryland Terrapins (Lacrosse) Raquel Rodríguez – Penn State Nittany Lions (Soccer) Sierra Romero – Michigan Wolverines (Softball)	[38] [39]
2017	–	scope=row		Florida Gators	Softball	align=left	Inky Ajanaku – Stanford Cardinal (Volleyball) Kadeisha Buchanan – West Virginia Mountaineers (Soccer) Kelsey Plum – Washington Huskies (Basketball) Zoe Stukenberg – Maryland Terrapins (Lacrosse)	[40] [41]
2018–2020	-	Not Awarded	Not Awarded	Not Awarded	Not Awarded
2021		scope=row		UConn Huskies	Basketball	align=left	Odicci Alexander – James Madison Dukes (Softball) Jaelin Howell – Florida State Seminoles (Soccer) Madison Lilley – Kentucky Wildcats (Volleyball)
2022	–	scope=row		Oklahoma Sooners	Softball	align=left	Aliyah Boston – South Carolina (Basketball) Jaelin Howell – Florida State (Soccer) Charlotte North – Boston College (Lacrosse)	[42]
2023		scope=row		Iowa Hawkeyes	Basketball	align=left	Jordy Bahl – Oklahoma Sooners (Softball) Izzy Scane – Northwestern (Lacrosse) Trinity Thomas – Florida Gators (Gymnastics)	[43]
2024		scope=row	(2)	Iowa Hawkeyes	Basketball	align=left	Sarah Franklin – Wisconsin Badgers (Volleyball) Izzy Scane – Northwestern (Lacrosse) Haleigh Bryant – LSU Tigers (Gymnastics)	[44]

Statistics

Multiple winners and nominees

scope=col	Name	scope=col data-sort-type="number"	Wins	scope=col data-sort-type="number"	Nominations
	3	3
	2	3
	2	3
	2	2
	2	2
	0	3
	0	2
	0	2
	0	2
	0	2

Winners by college team represented

scope=col	Team	scope=col data-sort-type="number"	Wins	scope=col data-sort-type="number"	Nominations
UConn Huskies	9	11
Texas Longhorns	2	3
Iowa Hawkeyes	2	2
Baylor Lady Bears	2	0
	1	5
Florida Gators	1	4
Arizona Wildcats	1	2
Oklahoma Sooners	1	3
	0	5
	0	4
	0	4
	0	4
LSU Lady Tigers	0	3
	0	3
	0	3
UCLA Bruins	0	3
Washington Huskies	0	3
Duke Blue Devils	0	2
Florida State Seminoles	0	2
Northwestern Wildcats	0	2

Winners and nominees by sport

scope=col	Sport	scope=col data-sort-type=number	Winners	scope=col data-sort-type=number	Nominations
Basketball	14	23
Softball	5	21
Swimming	1	8
Soccer	0	13
Volleyball	0	10
Lacrosse	0	8
Gymnastics	0	4

See also

• List of sports awards honoring women
• Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
• Sporting News College Athlete of the Year
• National Collegiate Athletic Association awards
• ACC Athlete of the Year Award
• All-America
• NCAA Woman of the Year Award

Notes and references

References

Notes and References

1. Book: Nelson, Murry R.. Murry R. Nelson

   . American Sports: A History of Icons, Idols and Ideas. Murry R. Nelson. ABC-CLIO. 2013. 978-0-313-39753-0. Santa Barbara, California. 399–401. June 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190837/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tfTXAQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=American+Sports:+A+History+of+Icons,+Idols+and+Ideas&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1jbbW4-3YAhWkK8AKHWosCrIQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=ESPY&f=false. January 23, 2018. live. mdy-all.

2. News: Sculptor commissioned to complete Joe Frazier statue has died. Avard. Christian. August 2, 2013. Barre Montpelier Times Argus. January 21, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221231935/http://www.timesargus.com/article/20130802/NEWS03/708029923/0/FEATURES10. February 21, 2014. dead.
3. Web site: The 2004 ESPY Awards - Fans to decide all 2004 ESPY Award winners. ESPN. https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190648/http://www.espn.com/espy2004/s/2004/0421/1786981.html. January 23, 2018. live. January 23, 2018. mdy-all.
4. The 2021 ESPYS Nominees . ESPN . June 12, 2021 . July 10, 2021.
5. Web site: Committee is newly found. February 3, 1999. ESPN. https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190739/http://www.espn.com/espy/features/01083044.html. January 23, 2018. live. 23 January 2018. mdy-all.
6. New categories unveiled for The 2002 ESPY Awards. 2002. ESPN. December 20, 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052554/http://www.espn.com/espy2002/s/awardcategories.html. December 22, 2017. mdy-all.
7. Web site: Sue Bird. October 7, 2013. USA Basketball. https://web.archive.org/web/20160404003704/http://archive.usab.com/bios/bird_sue.html. April 4, 2016. dead. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
8. Web site: Alo Wins ESPY for Best Female College Athlete . soonersports.com . July 19, 2022 . July 19, 2022.
9. Web site: Katie Ledecky Nominated For Best College Athlete ESPY. Keith. Branden. 16 July 2018. SwimSwam. https://web.archive.org/web/20180717150407/https://swimswam.com/katie-ledecky-nominated-for-best-female-college-athlete-espy/. 17 July 2018. live. 31 August 2018.
10. Web site: 2021 ESPYS award winners . ESPN.com . July 10, 2021 . July 10, 2021.
11. News: Woods Wins Three ESPYs. Los Angeles Times. July 11, 2002. April 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405165529/http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jul/11/sports/sp-espy11. April 5, 2018. live.
12. News: Nuveman in race for ESPY award. Hoornstra. J. P.. July 7, 2002. Daily Bruin. https://web.archive.org/web/20160526002329/http://dailybruin.com/2002/07/07/nuveman-in-race-for-espy-award/. May 26, 2016. live. April 30, 2018. mdy-all.
13. Book: L. Porter. David. Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary. 2005. 468. Greenwood Publishing Group. Westport, Connecticut. 978-0-313-30952-6. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174521/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DDO3sdV6ytsC&pg=PA468&lpg=PA468&dq=Diana+Taurasi+2003+ESPY+Best+Female+College&source=bl&ots=qaCmaEA8PQ&sig=5W7bPHQCPSR-zJ2CmGmwUHQqV9s&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_kvnulpzaAhXFQ8AKHePnAac4ChDoAQhAMAM#v=onepage&q=Diana%20Taurasi%202003%20ESPY%20Best%20Female%20College&f=false. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
14. News: Alana Beard to attend ESPY Awards tonight. July 16, 2003. Shreveport Times. April 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403175858/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/219409992/. April 3, 2018. live. 2C. mdy-all.
15. News: van der Linden Nominated For 2004 ESPY Award. College Sports Television. June 22, 2004. April 2, 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174039/http://www.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/stories/062204aaa.html. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
16. Buckley. Tom. Catcher in the Eye. The Alcalde. 64. May 2006. 94. 3. April 2, 2018. Google Books. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174024/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IeMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=Cat+Osterman+2005+ESPY&source=bl&ots=1z9FJd6ZZh&sig=GuWAu5lWmiz5raOb1QiAbXQ8kUM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidzve3m5zaAhVCasAKHePkDSE4ChDoAQhHMAU#v=onepage&q=Cat%20Osterman%202005%20ESPY&f=false. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
17. Web site: UCLA's Kristen Maloney Nominated For ESPY Award. College Sports Television. June 24, 2005. April 2, 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174041/http://www.cstv.com/sports/w-gym/stories/062405aaa.html. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
18. News: 14th annual ESPY Award's list. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 13, 2006. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180204000348/http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/other-sports/2006/07/13/14th-annual-ESPY-Award-s-list/stories/200607130434. February 4, 2018. mdy-all.
19. News: On Campus. Portland Tribune. July 3, 2006. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403175318/http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=99316. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
20. News: Harris. Beth. Chargers' Tomlinson Wins 4 ESPY Awards. The Washington Post. Associated Press. July 12, 2007. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171031121012/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/11/AR2007071102511_pf.html. October 31, 2017. mdy-all.
21. News: Towers. Chip. Georgia swimmer Joyce nominated for ESPY. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. June 27, 2007. April 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20070629160615/http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2007/06/27/0628espy.html. June 29, 2007. dead. mdy-all.
22. Web site: Candace Parker Wins Two ESPY Awards. Women's National Basketball Association. July 12, 2008. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174243/http://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/sparks/news/parker_espys_080717.html. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
23. News: Appalachian State is an ESPY finalist. News & Record. July 2, 2008. April 2, 2018. https://archive.today/20180405170638/http://www.greensboro.com/sports/appalachian-state-is-an-espy-finalist/article_5a845f76-6620-505d-9380-d5eef8c755b8.html. April 5, 2018. live. mdy-all.
24. News: Phelps a big winner at ESPY Awards. KABC-TV. July 15, 2009. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171031121013/http://abc7.com/archive/6917822/. October 31, 2017. mdy-all.
25. News: Johns. Greg. Huskies' Lawrie nominated for ESPY award. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. June 25, 2009. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234450/https://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2009/06/25/huskies-lawrie-nominated-for-espy-award/. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
26. Web site: Arden. Rich. Moore, Taurasi Win ESPYs. University of Connecticut. July 15, 2010. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405165528/https://today.uconn.edu/2010/07/moore-taurasi-win-espys/. April 5, 2018. mdy-all.
27. News: Lakers nominated for 'Best Team' Espy Award. San Gabriel Valley Tribune. June 24, 2010. January 5, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180106063741/https://www.sgvtribune.com/2010/06/24/lakers-nominated-for-best-team-espy-award/. January 6, 2018. mdy-all.
28. News: Celebrities, athletes mingle at ESPY Awards. The Times-Picayune. Associated Press. July 14, 2011. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174004/http://www.nola.com/celebrities/index.ssf/2011/07/celebrities_athletes_mingle_at.html. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
29. Web site: Langford. Richard. 2011 ESPN ESPY Awards: Nominees and TV Schedule. Bleacher Report. June 26, 2011. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180105233714/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/748865-2011-espn-espy-awards-nominees-and-tv-schedule. January 5, 2018. mdy-all.
30. News: Brown. Eric. Brittney Griner Wins Two ESPYs: Female Athlete of the Year and Best Female College Athlete. International Business Times. July 11, 2012. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174357/http://www.ibtimes.com/brittney-griner-wins-two-espys-female-athlete-year-and-best-female-college-athlete-722259. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
31. News: Kausler Jr.. Don. Alabama goes 0 for 3 at the ESPYS. The Birmingham News. July 11, 2012. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234458/http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/07/alabama_goes_0_for_3_at_the_es.html. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
32. News: Levy. Gabrielle. Brittney Griner goes from bullied teen to role model. United Press International. July 18, 2013. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174217/https://www.upi.com/blog/2013/07/18/Brittney-Griner-goes-from-bullied-teen-to-role-model/8551374152094/. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
33. News: Mercury's Brittney Griner receives two ESPY Nominations. KTVK. June 28, 2013. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403175049/http://www.azfamily.com/story/22709142/mercurys-brittney-griner-receives-two-espy-nominations. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
34. News: Tamurian. Niko. C-NS grad Breanna Stewart wins ESPY Award for Best Female College Athlete. WSTM-TV. July 17, 2014. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174617/http://cnycentral.com/sports/college/c-ns-grad-breanna-stewart-wins-espy-award-for-best-female-college-athlete. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
35. News: Dunn. Katherine. Hopkins alums Rabil, Schwartzman receive MLL weekly awards. The Baltimore Sun. June 25, 2014. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403174849/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-06-25/sports/bs-sp-digest-0625-20140625_1_tatyana-mcfadden-taylor-cummings-paul-rabil. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
36. Web site: Missy Franklin Wins ESPY Best College Female Athlete. Swimming World. July 15, 2015. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403182053/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/missy-franklin-wins-espy-best-college-female-athlete/. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
37. News: Ditota. Donna. Breanna Stewart is nominated for 2 ESPY awards; voting underway to determine winners. The Post-Standard. June 24, 2015. April 2, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170630102406/http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/06/breanna_stewart_is_nominated_for_two_espy_awards_voting_starts_now.html. June 30, 2017. mdy-all.
38. News: ESPYs 2016 Winners: LeBron James, Craig Sager Among Awards Show Highlights. McDonough. Cameron. July 13, 2016. April 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180404072936/https://nesn.com/2016/07/espys-2016-live-winners-results-highlights-from-awards-show/. April 4, 2018. live. New England Sports Network. mdy-all.
39. News: Doyle. Paul. Geno Auriemma, Breanna Stewart, UConn Women's Basketball All Over ESPY Nominations. Hartford Courant. June 23, 2016. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403180435/http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-uconn-women-espys-0624-20160623-story.html. April 3, 2018. mdy-all.
40. News: Pope alum Kelly Barnhill wins ESPY Award as top female collegiate athlete. Marietta Daily Journal. July 12, 2017. April 3, 2018. https://archive.today/20180405171019/http://www.mdjonline.com/sports/pope-alum-kelly-barnhill-wins-espy-award-as-top-female/article_1ec7591a-676f-11e7-b1c1-6b6181cac40c.html. April 5, 2018. live. mdy-all.
41. News: Canada's Kadeisha Buchanan gets ESPY nomination for best female college athlete. CBC News. The Canadian Press. June 22, 2017. April 3, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180111041050/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/kadeisha-buchanan-espy-award-nomination-1.4172466. January 11, 2018. mdy-all.
42. Web site: The 2022 ESPYS Nominees . espnpressroom.com . June 28, 2022 . July 3, 2022.
43. Web site: 2023 ESPYS: Full list of award winners . ESPN.com . July 13, 2023 . July 13, 2023.
44. Web site: 2024 ESPYS: Here is the list of winners . ESPN.com . July 11, 2024 . July 11, 2024.