For the second time in 10 years, a University of Tennessee Lady Vol is the Honda-Broderick Cup recipient. Monday, at a press conference at the Columbia University Low Memorial Library in New York, N.Y., Honda, Inc., announced Candace Parker as its 2008 cup winner.

“I am honored to be chosen as the Honda-Broderick Cup winner this year from such an outstanding group of female student-athletes,” Parker said. “I have been blessed to be recognized as an individual but know that I couldn’t have gotten where I am today without the help of my family, friends, teammates and coaches. My experience at the University of Tennessee prepared me for life as a professional basketball player and as a strong, independent woman. Coach Summitt always says if you surround yourself with great people and players, you are destined for great things. Winning this award and two national championships at Tennessee are, to me, great things. I want to thank Honda for its continued support of the award and women’s athletics throughout the years.”

Parker, who opted out of her final year of eligibility, graduated in May from the University of Tennessee with a degree in sport management. On April 9, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She finished her career at Rocky Top with a plethora of school records, including most dunks, free throws made and attempted in a game; most dunks, blocks, free throws made and attempted in a single season; and as the career leader in dunks, blocks, free throws made and attempted. She became just the fourth 2,000-point scorer and was the eighth Lady Vol to amass 900 rebounds in program history. In 2008, her accolades included ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year and first-team Academic All-America honors, unanimous first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC), SEC All-Tournament Team and SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award, the U.S. Basketball Writers’ Association National Player of the Year, the Associated Press Player of the Year and unanimous first-team All-America honors. Parker also received ESPN.com National Player of the Year, State Farm All-America, WBCA National Player of the Month in January, and Oklahoma City Regional and NCAA Final Four All-Tournament and Most Outstanding Player honors.

The Naperville, Ill., native averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.4 blocks and 2.3 steals in 38 games this season while leading her team to a 36-2 record and the program’s eighth NCAA Championship. The 36-win total marks the second-most in school history, behind only the 1997-98 squad that went 39-0. This year’s team set new UT records for three-pointers made and attempted and went an astonishing 18-2 against top-25 opposition.

The Collegiate Women's Sports Awards program is in its 32nd year and recognizes the top collegiate woman athlete in each of 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. In addition, the program honors the top women collegiate athletes representing Division II and Division III schools and the recipient of the Honda Inspiration Award. The Award winners in the 12 sports were automatically nominated for The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and from those 12 rose Parker as the victor of the prestigious Honda-Broderick Cup.

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 for each sport. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., sponsor of the program, celebrates each nominee by donating $5,000 to each Honda Sports Award recipient school and $1,000 to each nominee school.

THE HONDA-BRODERICK CUP RECIPIENTS

1976-77
LUCY HARRIS
BASKETBALL
DELTA STATE

1977-78
ANN MEYERS
BASKETBALL
UCLA

1978-79
NANCY LIEBERMAN
BASKETBALL
OLD DOMINION

1979-80
JULIE SHEA
TRACK AND FIELD
NORTH CAROLINA STATE

1980-81
JILL STERKEL
SWIMMING
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

1981-82
TRACY CAULKINS
SWIMMING
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

1982-83
DEITRE COLLINS
VOLLEYBALL
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

1983-84*
TRACY CAULKINS
SWIMMING
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

(TIE)
CHERYL MILLER
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

1984-85
JACKIE JOYNER
TRACK AND FIELD
UCLA

1985-86
KAMIE ETHRIDGE
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

1986-87
MARY T. MEAGHER
SWIMMING
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

1987-88
TERESA WEATHERSPOON
BASKETBALL
LOUISIANA TECH

1988-89
VICKI HUBER
TRACK AND FIELD
VILLANOVA

1989-90
SUZY FAVOR
TRACK AND FIELD
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

1990-91
DAWN STALEY
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

1991-92
MISSY MARLOWE
GYMNASTICS
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

1992-93
LISA FERNANDEZ
SOFTBALL
UCLA

1993-94
MIA HAMM
SOCCER
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1994-95
REBECCA LOBO
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

1995-96
JENNIFER RIZZOTTI
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

1996-97
CINDY DAWS
SOCCER
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

1997-98
CHAMIQUE HOLDSCLAW
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

1998-99
MISTY MAY
VOLLEYBALL
LONG BEACH STATE

1999-2000
CRISTINA TEUSCHER
SWIMMING
COLUMBIA

2000-01
JACKIE STILES
BASKETBALL
SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE

2001-02
ANGELA WILLIAMS
TRACK AND FIELD
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

2002-03
NATASHA WATLEY
SOFTBALL
UCLA

2003-04
TARA KIRK
SWIMMING
STANFORD

2004-05
OGONNA NNAMANI
VOLLEYBALL
STANFORD

2005-06
CHRISTINE SINCLAIR
SOCCER
UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND

2006-07
SARAH PAVAN
VOLLEYBALL
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

2007-08
CANDACE PARKER
BASKETBALL
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

Story Courtesy: The Honda-Broderrick Cup