Former University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball player Candace Parker and University of Florida football player Tim Tebow and have been named the 2007-2008 Roy F. Kramer Southeastern Conference Female and Male Athletes of the Year by a vote of the league's athletics directors, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced today.

"The SEC is very proud to honor Tim and Candace, as they are outstanding examples of what a student-athlete can accomplish, both on and off the field of competition,” said Slive. “Their hard work and dedication to excellence have made them fine representatives of their universities and this conference. We congratulate them and wish them the best in their future endeavors.”

After leading her team to back-to-back national championships the past two seasons, Parker helped to bring the SEC Female Athlete of the Year Award to Knoxville in back-to-back seasons, as former Lady Vol softball standout Monica Abbott garnered the award for the 2006-07 season. Three other Lady Vols have been so honored, including Chamique Holdsclaw (basketball, 1998-99, 1997-98), Daedra Charles (basketball, 1991) and Bridgette Gordon (basketball, 1989). On the men’s side, Peyton Manning (football, 1998), Todd Helton (baseball, 1995) and Larry Seivers (football, 1977) have claimed SEC Male Athlete of the Year.

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 June 24, she was named the Honda-Broderick Cup recipient as the best female collegiate athlete for 2008. 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 Honda Award Winner for Basketball, 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 other female nominees were: Charlotte Morgan, Alabama (softball); Stacy Lewis, Arkansas (golf); Ava Ohlgren, Auburn (swimming); Caroline Bruckle, Florida (swimming); Katie Heenan, Georgia (gymnastics); Kari Retrum, Kentucky (diving); Sylvia Fowles, LSU (basketball); Brittney Reese, Ole Miss (track & field); Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State (softball); Blakely Mattern, South Carolina (soccer); Amanda Taylor, Vanderbilt (tennis).

As the only sophomore to ever win the Heisman Trophy, Tebow has thrown for 3,644 yards and 37 touchdowns in his two seasons as a Gator. In addition, he has rushed for 1,364 yards with 31 touchdowns, both school records by a Florida quarterback. The Jacksonville, Fla. native was also honored with the Davey O’Brien award and the Maxwell award this past season. An All-SEC first-team selection by both the league’s coaches and the Associated Press, Tebow also became the first quarterback in college football history to pass for 20 and rush for 20 touchdowns. He has also performed admirably off the field, earning a spot on ESPN the Magazine’s Academic All-American First-Team squad, the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll and the SEC Community Service Team.

The other male nominees were: Michael Thompson, Alabama (golf); Darren McFadden, Arkansas (football); : Cesar Cielo, Auburn (swimming); Gordon Beckham, Georgia (baseball); Rashaud Scott, Kentucky (track & field); Glenn Dorsey, LSU (football); Erling Tveit, Ole Miss (tennis); Jamil Hubbard, Mississippi State (track & field); Jason Richardson, South Carolina (track & field); Chris Lofton, Tennessee (basketball); Shan Foster, Vanderbilt (basketball).

The SEC Athletes of the Year Awards were first presented in 1976 for men and 1984 for women. The award was renamed the Roy F. Kramer Athletes of the Year in 2004 to honor the former commissioner who served the conference from 1990-2002.

Past recipients of the SEC Athlete of the Year Award include: 2007 - David Price, Vanderbilt (baseball) and Monica Abbott, Tennessee (softball); 2006 - Xavier Carter, LSU (track & field) and Seimone Augustus, LSU (basketball); 2005 - Ryan Lochte, Florida (swimming) and Kirsty Coventry, Auburn (swimming); 2004 - Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) and Jeana Rice, Alabama (gymnastics); 2003 - Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) and LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (basketball); 2002 - Walter Lewis, LSU (track & field) and Andree’ Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics); 2001 - Matias Boeker, Georgia (tennis) and Amy Yoder Begley, Arkansas (cross country/track); 2000 - Kip Bouknight , South Carolina (baseball) and Kristy Kowal, Georgia (swimming); 1999 - Tim Couch, Kentucky (football) and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball); 1998 - Peyton Manning, Tennessee (football) and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball); 1997 - Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) and Trinity Johnson, South Carolina (softball); 1996 - Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) and Saudia Roundtree, Georgia (basketball); 1995 - Todd Helton, Tennessee (baseball) and Jenny Hansen, Kentucky (gymnastics); 1994 - Corliss Williamson, Arkansas (basketball) and Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming); 1993 - Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky (basketball) and Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming); 1992 - Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (basketball) and Vicki Goetze, Georgia (golf); 1991 - Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (basketball) and Daedra Charles, Tennessee (basketball); 1990 - Alec Kessler, Georgia (basketball) and Dee Foster, Alabama (gymnastics); 1989 - Derrick Thomas, Alabama (football) and Bridgette Gordon, Tennessee (basketball); 1988 - Will Perdue, Vanderbilt (basketball) and Dara Torres, Florida (swimming); 1987 - Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (football) and Lillie Leatherwood-King, Alabama (track and field); 1986 - Bo Jackson, Auburn (football) and Jennifer Gillom, Ole Miss (basketball); 1985 - Will Clark, Mississippi State (baseball) and Penney Hauschild, Alabama (gymnastics); 1984 - Terry Hoage, Georgia (football) and Tracy Caulkins, Florida (swimming); 1983 - Herschel Walker, Georgia (football/track and field); 1982 - Buck Belue, Georgia (football/baseball); 1981 - Rowdy Gaines, Auburn (swimming); 1980 - Kyle Macy, Kentucky (basketball); 1979 - Reggie King, Alabama (basketball); 1978 - Jack Givens, Kentucky (basketball); 1977 - Larry Seivers, Tennessee (football); and 1976 - Harvey Glance, Auburn (track and field).

Story Courtesy: UT Lady Vols Sports Information