Reid Wins Honda Award as Top Female Athlete in NCAA Cross

Here is a story from the Villanova athletics website (www.villanova.com) describing Sheila Reid's selection as the top female NCAA harrier. She won the individual title and led the Villanova women to a team title at last month's NCAA cross country championships.

Sheila Reid Voted Honda Award Winner as Top Female Athlete in Cross Country

Dec. 8, 2010


VILLANOVA, Pa. - Sheila Reid has won the 2011 Honda Sports Award in cross country, designating her as the nation's top collegiate female athlete in the sport. 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 35th year.

The Honda Sports Award is given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic eligibility to become a "Top Three" finalist for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Sheila Reid was voted over three other nominees for the 2011 award: Jordan Hasay, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, Emily Infeld, a junior at Georgetown University and Risper Kimaiyo, a University of Texas at El Paso sophomore. The candidates were selected based on their finish at the NCAA Cross County Championships.

"It is an honor just to be nominated and a privilege to win an award with such a storied history," Reid said. "The Honda Award is a testament to not just one season but to years of hard work. I am indebted to my coaches and teammates who support and inspire me both on and off the course."

A native of Newmarket, Ont., Reid led Villanova to an undefeated 2010 season and its second straight NCAA Championship. She captured her first NCAA national cross country crown and the eighth by a Wildcat athlete. Reid has also finished first two years in a row at both the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships. She is a five-time All-American as a cross country and track athlete and this fall was named the cross country National Female Athlete of the Year, as well as earning Mid-Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year accolades for the second straight season.

Like many Honda Sports Award winners, Reid is an academic standout in addition to her excellence in athletics. She is a three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star with a 3.261 GPA, majoring in English.

Honda Award winners in basketball, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field will be announced in the coming months. The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate balloting involving all NCAA-member institutions. On June 27, 2011, the winner will receive the Honda-Broderick Cup at a ceremony in New York, at which the "Top Three" finalist are scheduled to attend.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has sponsored the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program for 26 consecutive years. Honda has donated over $2 million in grants and sponsorships to universities over the course of the program.