Irene Cho, a University of Southern California senior, has been chosen the nation’s top collegiate female golfer for 2006. The honor was 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 30th year.
Cho’s victory will earn her the Honda Award, given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic nomination for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. The other finalists included her teammate at USC, Dewi-Claire Schreefel, as well as Amanda Blumenherst and Jennie Lee, both freshmen at Duke University. The candidates were selected by their finish at the NCAA Championships and Golfweek/Sagarin rating.
Cho, ranked #2 by Golfweek Magazine was the also named the 2006 Pac-10 “Player of the Year.” In 2004, Cho was a member of the All-American second team and in 2003, was an All-American honorable mention selection. Additionally, she earned her All-Pac-10 first team honor in 2004 and was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention in 2003 and 2005.
An honors graduate of Sunny Hills High in Fullerton, CA, Cho holds USC's career record (12) and season record (8) for rounds in the 60s. In 2006, she also set school records for lowest stroke average in a season (72.06), lowest round (64) and lowest 54-hole score (203).
Previously announced Honda Award recipients include Ashley Miles of The University of Alabama for Gymnastics, Seimone Augustus of Louisiana State University for Basketball, Mary DeScenza and Christine Sinclair of The University of Georgia and The University of Portland for swimming and soccer respectively, Courtney Thompson of The University of Washington for volleyball, Caroline Bierbaum of Columbia University for cross-country and Paula Infante of The University of Maryland for field hockey. Honda Award winners in lacrosse, and tennis will be announced later this week. Additionally softball, track and field and the Division II & III winners will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate balloting involving all NCAA-member institutions and the winner will receive the Honda-Broderick Cup at Columbia University in New York on June 26, 2006.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. sponsors the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program.
Awards Contact:
Adam Weissman or Harvey Bolgla
Dobbin/Bolgla Associates
156 Fifth Avenue, Suite 523
New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 388-1400/ Fax: (212) 388-1490
aweissman@dba-pr.com / hbolgla@dba-pr.com
University of Southern California Contact:
Paul Goldberg
USC – Sports Information Director
Heritage Hall 203 A
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0602
Ph: 213-740-3805
E-Mail: pgolber@usc.edu
Adam Weissman, Account Executive
DBA Public Relations
156 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Ph: 212-388-1400 x 31/Fax: 212-388-1490
E-mail: aweissman@dba-pr.com
