On the final episode of the season we hear from a representative of the CWSA Board of Directors and presenting partner American Honda, Katie Falk.  Katie serves as Unit Lead for Local Corporate Social Responsibility of American Honda. She has had more than a decade of experience in working to address key social issues on a local, national and global scale. Katie shares the reasons why America Honda has found a partner in The Collegiate Women Sports Awards for over 35years. She explains why Honda supports the awards program: fitting into their goals of education, creating discovery experiences and realizing dreams in society. She believes that the women CWSA honors serve as exemplary role models and are a natural fit to their commitment to dreams; a challenging spirit, continual improvement, and passion.  Sports were important to Katie growing up and remain a vehicle where she has learned the value of teamwork that she applies in the workplace. As a Board member she is pleased to be serving aside so many passionate professionals. Katie shares her particular fondness of a recent social media project of Honda and CWSA, ‘When She Leads She’s Unstoppable’.  She revels in women changing the game and the fact that so many past Honda Cup winners are in deed doing that in society as well. Katie is proud and excited about the upcoming broadcasts - both the June 22nd DEFYING the ODDS on CBS-SN, which features the Honda Inspiration Winners and finalists, and then the June 28th CWSA Honda Awards Show.  Here’s to one of the longest corporate sponsorships in the nation and history of supporting women in sport. Host: Chris Voelz. A co-production of WiSP Sport and the Collegiate Womens Sports Awards. More information here: https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index

Jennifer Rizzotti grew up playing sports with older boys. Undersized then and throughout her career she chose to work harder, smarter and make up for a smaller stature with a bigger heart and ambition. It worked as Jennifer had a great college career serving as point guard for the UCONN Huskies basketball team and playing professionally before becoming a coach for more than 20 years.  Along the way she nabbed most every post season award including the Honda Cup in 1996, the Associated  Press Player of the Year, All American, All Academic American and Wade Trophy.  The advice given as a player served her well as a coach, including knowing your teammates, what motivates them and building relationships.  She credits Geno Auriemma, her collegiate coach, with building the national championships and being a model for coaching. He wants athletes who value teamwork and who are willing to work harder in practice than in a game.  And he expects good academics; good character and good players. Check out what Jennifer has to say about eight basketball players of the CWSA family who also won the Honda Cup. She describes her professional experiences as a dream for making a living as an athlete and having an opportunity to compete at the highest level every outing, her ultimate competitiveness and need to pay attention to details. Jennifer shares with the audience her experience as President of the WBCA and what comes with paying attention to something bigger than yourself. She credits sport with teaching her the life lessons of humility and appreciation, that no success happens by yourself, and the possibility of having lasting impact as a leader.  We hear what  success looks like to Jennifer. Jennifer is using her growth mindset in her current position as President of the WNBA franchise, the Mohegan Sun. Let’s cheer that franchise on during this big professional pivot for Jennifer Rizzotti.  But first let’s cheer on the USA Women’s Basketball team in Tokyo at the Olympics where she will be on the bench as an Assistant Coach - a culmination of decades of contributions to USA basketball. Host: Chris Voelz A co-production of WiSP Sports and the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards. More information online here -  https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index

The 2013 Honda Cup Winner, Keilani Ricketts, a 6’2” left-handed softball pitcher billed herself exactly as that when pitching to coaches for college recruiting. That not only got their attention but height and hand served her well on the mound for her collegiate career at Oklahoma University and now with USA Softball. Keilani was introduced to a variety of sports in childhood and followed three siblings onto to collegiate competition. Her collegiate team won a national championship because they all bought in to a common goal and as she was showered with awards she modestly attributes them to her team… claiming she just was the one on the mound. She does admit that it takes heart, grit, confidence, enjoying the pressure and buying into the game plan to perform as a champion pitcher.  Playing professionally took a great deal of transition especially handling her new found freedom. Keilani describes her fellow softball players who are Honda Cup winners, and relates the best advice given to her by her coaches over the years. She believes a champion’s attributes must include a strong work ethic and being a good teammate.  She looks forward to the upcoming Olympics after the enforced interruption due to the pandemic. Her life lessons from sport include control what you can control. Cheer on Keilani and the USA softball team at the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer. Host: Chris Voelz. A co-production of WiSP Sports and the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards. More information online here - https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index

Sarah Pavan, the 2007 Honda Cup winner is one of the best and rarest examples of a volleyball athlete who excelled at both indoor and beach games at the highest level. A collegiate four-time All American and University of Nebraska National Champion, Sarah went on to play professionally and is now headed to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Coming from a sports minded family in Kitchener, Canada, Sarah shares what it was like to be a member of her Canadian national volleyball team at the age of 16. She relates her journey to the U.S., and then the close bonds that brought the Huskers a collegiate national championship . One of her favorite quotes given to her by her collegiate coach was Thoreau’s “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.”  This would serve her well as she fulfilled her dream to become an Olympian. Though beach volleyball was not initially on her radar she saw it as the path to fulfill that dream. Continuing to play professionally, both indoor and outdoor she shares the differences in the games and the necessary transitions to be made.  Sarah, a hard hitting 6’6” lefty, notes that from sport one learns discipline, teamwork, communication skills and confidence and would not be the person she is without sport. She encourages all youth to be involved in sport and laments that girls are dropping out at an early age. During the pandemic she wanted to connect with those volleyballers who were quarantined and created  ‘Sarah Pavan Volleyball’ on You Tube, helping beginners to learn basic volleyball. Sarah closes by recognizing the difference collegiate sports made in shaping her life. If you want to cheer on a great athlete, accomplished student and delightful person cheer on the Canadian team of Sarah and Melissa (Humana-Parades) in the Tokyo Olympics beach volleyball. Host: Chris Voelz A co-production of WiSP Sports and the Collegiate Womens Sports Awards. More information here - https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index

The 1990 Honda Cup winner, Suzy Favor, excelled as a middle distance runner for decades and in three Olympics. It all began with adventures in her family. However, starting as a high school US Jr Record Holder in the 1500m and as she went to University of Wisconsin she was also coping with bulimia. Having overcome it she now shares her insights and explains that it’s not about food but about control. Her turning point was when she learned that stress fractures would continue unless she changed her eating habits and nutrition. Having faced that she was always incredibly prepared by her collegiate coach and  able to move on. This she did with winning 23 Big Ten Championships becoming the first woman to win 800m and 1500m at the  NCAA Championship in the same season. Suzy ’s running in the 80’s (in a sport that was not yet mainstream) led her to winning every collegiate race and then the Honda-Broderick Cup in 1990. The Class of 1990 was filled with future Olympians and yet what Suzy appreciates most about her fellow honorees was their incredibly good character. Some of the best advice she was given from coaches throughout her career was to keep sport fun.  Years of professional running brought more challenges and benefits including traveling the world and meeting international people. When asked what made her so good she responded that she was coachable. She then went on to say that after decades she lost her voice and only in the past years is finding it once again.  Learning to face the pressure in her third Olympics, Suzy went into the race as the fastest women in the world at 1500 meters.  We also hear how she dealt with suffering from post-partum depression after having daughter Kylie and how subsequently medications triggered bipolar.  Learn about her commitment to mental health issues and her reflections as she pursues her art within a slower and thoughtful world that she has created in the mountains of California. Host: Chris Voelz A co-production of WiSP Sports and the Collegiate Womens Sports Awards More information at https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index.

Misty May was the national champion Long Beach State volleyball player as well as three time Olympic gold medalist, and the 1999 Honda Cup winner. Misty says she is one of the lucky ones. She was not asked to choose a sport in her youth. Rather she played multiple sports all the while living on the beach where volleyball became the sport she loved the most. Growing up in a sports oriented family with father who was a volleyball Olympian and mom a ranked tennis player, they both gave her sound advice. Her father admonished her “to play for those who can’t play “ while her Mom insisted that  “when it is no longer fun, don’t do it “.   A positional switch from outside hitter to setter under the tutelage of Olympian Debbie Green at Long Beach State plus the vacancy of two setters ahead of her not only brought her collegiate team an undefeated season and national championship but it served as a groundwork for her beach volleyball success over the next 13 years. She advises athletes pursuing success that they must be willing to put in the work when no one else is around. And no doubt that is what she and her beach partners did as she won on the pro circuit and qualified for the Olympics. Misty shares with the audience the differences between hard floor and beach volleyball training and competition, and the excitement and challenges of three Olympics - each uniquely different. The beach team of Misty and Kerri Walsh Jennings won all three gold medals and has been tabbed the greatest beach team of all times. She reflects on why she and Kerri were such a great team including both possessing great drive; holding each other accountable; having energies that counterbalanced one another and could feed off of each other; great all around games individually; common goals, and each respecting the others differences.   Looking back, sport has taught Misty not to procrastinate, to be game ready, realize life is not a sprint but a process and journey, to be a better communicator,  and to make sure that choices are aligned with goals. Misty has used those skills as a mother of three daughters, and as a community college coach and personal trainer.  Misty describers herself as a competitor then and a person now and what is essential to become a champion.  Host: Chris Voelz A co-production of WiSP Sports and the Collegiate Womens Sports Awards More information at https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index.

Tara Kirk’s transition from swimming—she was former American Record holder in the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter breaststroke—to a professional career was much different than many others.  And it was not without lessons learned that she went from swimming on the world stage to the world stage in pandemics and bioterrorism. And this has never been more relevant than in this unusual year where a pandemic has affected all of our lives.The swimming stage  for Tara included growing up in Bremerton, Washington State followed by Stanford for national championships where she broke records. The professional stage began as a biology student at Stanford, capped with a doctors degree from John Hopkins to now serving as a Senior Associate at the John Hopkins Center for Health Security and Assistant Professor in their Dept of Environmental Health and Engineering.  Tara shares what it meant to her when Athens hosted the 2004 Olympics - truly  a welcome home from where it all began. After that, she trained throughout the 2008 Olympics before retiring.  From being at the top of her game for so long she was suddenly at an entry level position where her peers were five years younger.  Tara built upon the qualities that made her a champion swimmer: hard work; penchant for precision; embracing details to achieving more in academics and in her career.  She also was advised, and believes, that one has to dig deeper, take criticism and apply and learn or simply keep going. And she concedes that it helps t have talent… although, without training, that is not enough . Tara shares the simulated exercises she co lead about Covid-19 in early 2019. She acknowledges the role communication plays in terms of a national strategy for mis and disinformation, and emphasizes how social behavior factors are critical to the response. She shares with us her niche, which went from the theoretical to reality in a matter of months.  Tara weaves into her life journey the story of relationships, be it at Stanford, her husband’s relationships that connect her professionally or testifying in front of Congress.   She laments the barriers and the equity needed for women sports and women in science, urging us all to fight the good fight as we are not yet there. All the while we recognize what a terrific role model she is for both sport and science. Host: Chris Voelz. A co-production with WiSP Sports For more information about the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards, visit https://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index.

Named Best Female Athlete of the 20th Century, there is no doubt that Jackie Joyner is the GOAT.  She also appears as humble and even tempered as she was as a competitor. Though there were violence and drugs in her East St Louis  community, Jackie grew up with great support and encouragement. While watching the Olympics on TV in 1976, Wilma Rudolph and Evelyn Ashford became important role models for her. The community center was the center of her childhood where she fortunately was introduced to male coaches who really cared about girls and women having opportunities …and couldn’t help but notice she had talent. Jumping 21 feet while still in high school and winning basketball championships brought her onto the radar of UCLA coaches in both sports. She compliments her coaches and UCLA for working with her training needs and redshirt year as her first Olympics taught her a lot about the need for strength not just physically but emotionally and mentally. Jackie understood that injury was just part of the athletic experience - her experience to last another three Olympics.  Some of her best advice given by coaches and family included: lead by example, be patient, rid your self of doubt and instead believe, finish something if you start it and embrace other’s greatness. Jackie surrounded herself with family throughout her Olympics, eventually marrying her coach Bobby Kersee who also coached Flo Jo who married Jackie’s Olympian brother, Al. She tells the stories of Olympics that affirms her will to win. Jackie names three things that sustained her throughout four Olympics: faith, family and great coaching.  She describes what she learned from each of her Olympic Games. And Jackie also credits the generosity of others who taught her the value of volunteering. At the end of her long career she returned to East St Louis where she founded the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation, and brought back the community center where they offer an after-school program, transportation, meals and sports opportunities. Host: Chris Voelz A co-production with WiSP Sports. Fore more information about the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards visit https://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index.

This episode reaches back to the origins of The Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards in 1976  with Dr. Judie Holland, one of the CWSA founders who served 37 years as its  Executive Director. A phone call from Tom Broderick (of the Broderick gym clothes company ) was the beginning of 45 years of celebrating female collegiate athletes. Judie shares with us the challenges, the rewards and the progress that the CWSA has made, although she laments the lack of support at times, She shares her favorite award winners and program emcees, like Elizabeth Dole, then Secretary of Transportation. You can hear what she has to say about Elena Della Donne and Britney Griner, as well as her beloved Bruins.  Judie describes the new path that was taken in terms of the award designs. Judie is most proud that the program continues to this day as we celebrate our 45th year. Some of her best decisions include; moving the award program from AIAW  to NCAA; insisting that the voters were all NCAA school Senior Women Administrators; converting the program to a non-profit under the umbrella of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards and empowering the Board of Directors.Finally we hear what this seasoned legend is looking forward to in terms as women’s sports evolve. Host: Chris Voelz. A co-production with WiSP Sports Fore more information about the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards visit https://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index.

A childhood surrounded by four athletic siblings contributed to the support Cheryl Miller needed when not many girls were competing. Those four siblings went on to be a MLB player; Hall of Fame NBA player; varsity volleyball player and All American and Olympic gold medalist.  Cheryl’s unfettered energy and exuberance remains in tact some 35 plus years after she scored 105 points in a high school basketball game and was named four time All American by Parade magazine. She went on to University of Southern California, winning two national championships, and by her senior year two Naismith trophies; two Broderick (precursor to Honda ) sport awards and the Broderick Cup. Her reputation for playing big still remains as do many Trojan records including scoring, rebounding and steals. She recounts that her favorite part of basketball was stealing and taking it into the basket and taking the charge - not always executed by someone so lean and wiry.  Cheryl’s Olympic experience includes the lowlight of the Soviets boycotting, the highlight of winning the gold and the memories of being coached by Pat Summit. She believes it takes integrity, accountability, honesty… and amnesia in the locker room to be a champion. Cheryl describes the basketball champions who also earned the cup: Ann Meyers (1978 winner) as -student of the game - loyal, soft-spoken yet strong, Nancy Lieberman (1979 winner) as cocky, competent; greatest basketball entertainer, Kamie Ethridge (1986 winner) as swiveling eyes who saw everything and everyone, managed emotions and took care of players as point guard, Theresa Weatherspoon (1988 winner) as a physical point guard, bruiser with the best motivational speeches.  She describes her coaches, Linda Sharp as being relationship oriented and trusting, Pat Summit structured and detailed, and Kay Yow as blending Sharp and Summit while giving all the benefit of the doubt in her spiritual way.  Cheryl coached at all levels from pro with the Phoenix Mercury, NCAA D I and NAIA. Her talents and familiarity with the game took her to a career in sports broadcasting,  which may also be her next step. Host: Chris Voelz A co-production with WiSP Sports For more information about the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards visit https://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/landing/index

Chamique Holdsclaw’s story is one that a takes a young girl in the projects of New York City to the world stage through basketball. The sport fell into her lap when her Grandma allowed her to be on the courts which she could see her from the apartment. At 5’10 and entering high school she sat on the bench, but for the Christ the King HS Varsity. Four state championships followed with Chamique being named High School All American. She shares how not everyone can go from playground ball to collegiate ball and how she was one of the lucky ones. It was Pat Summit’s connection with Chamique’s Grandma that led her to Tennessee where she led the Lady Vols to three nationals championships. Chamique shares what it takes to go undefeated  and then her pride in winning the 1998 Honda Cup. She also takes us on a journey through her 10 year WNBA career; the 2000 Olympics and later how she faced mental health issues. She describes what she learned from her coaches through her competitive years and especially the tough love of Pat Summit. Chamique shares not only the trials of mental illness but also the hope as she credits the changes in the past 10 years where athletes have more support, not just for their bodies but their minds and hearts and where science acknowledges the chemical imbalances at its root. She believes that so many people with the genetic component of anxiety, depression or bipolar diagnoses need kindness, understanding and engagement. And we need to talk about it. She joined her sorority sisters at Alpha Kappa Alpha in wearing pearls and Converse for the inauguration of sorority sister VP Kamala Harris.  Chamique discusses the life lessons from sport that one learns and how it relates to her present serving as a mental health advocate while raising her 16 month old son with spouse Cara. Host: Chris Voelz For more information about The Collegiate Women's Sports Awards visit https://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/.

Tracy Caulkins is the only swimmer to set American records in every stroke - that’s right, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. She is one of two athletes  in the 45 year history of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards who won the cup twice, in 1982 and 1984, being named the best female athlete in college athletics.  At the age of nine, Tracy was inspired by watching the 1972 Olympics — especially Mark Spitz and  Shane Gould.  Six years later she had evolved from a skinny kid who preferred the backstrokes—so she could look around and keep her face out of the water—to a 15 year old phenom who had set four world records and an American record.   Tracy credits that exceptionalism only now as she reflects upon her willingness to be coachable; to work hard, wanting to win and do her best. She says that sport definitely made her more mentally tough and the mental toughness is what separates the elite.  Tracy recounts how she enjoyed training and, at the University of Florida, experienced many interesting and unique training techniques brought to the Gators by Coach Randy Reese. Though she admits that girls and women did not get much deserved recognition she has always been happy that the recognition has moved in the right direction. She is grateful for recognition such as the Broderick Cup where the best women got to meet each other at the event. Tracy describes Jill Sterkel, Mary T Meagher, Missy Franklin, Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel; also swimmers who won the Honda Cup. She shares the best advice she ever received, which included: “just do your best every day and that will contribute to giving you your best performance, and enjoy it.” By the age of 21 Tracy had retired becoming a commentator and using her journalism degree.  Tracy explains what and who took her to Australia in 1988 where since she married, raised five children, created a group for women in sport in Queensland, worked for the State Academy of Sport, the Australian Institute of Sport and serves on the Board of Australian Swimming. She insists that sport offers so many transferrable lessons to the rest of life and is simply grateful to be remembered.  For more information about the CWSA visit the website.

Candace Parker is simply one of theist celebrated women’s basketball players of all time setting high school, college, Olympic and pro records. Originally competing in soccer rather than joining her two brothers in basketball Candace rebuked basketball at first. By the time she was 15 years old she was the only girl dinking in Illinois basketball ,leading her team to multiple titles. She did not totally grasp the rarity as she had been instilled that women should be treated equally.  Her brother advised her  “go to the school that is the best for what you want to do in your life”. Of course Candace wanted to be educated but she clearly and unequivocally wanted to play basketball. It was Pat Summit and the Tennessee Lady Vols who succeeded in recruiting her.  With an ACL tear she learned quickly she had to overcome the notion that If we don’t plan for something then it’s just not fair. Instead she asked what she could do about it and through short and long term goals she succeeded not only with this but with future injuries. Candace identifies what makes her a champion athlete: passion, basketball and dedication to the preparation, which results in a win months later. She admits that her stubbornness serves her both poorly and positively . Candace describes Coach Summit as a leader, mentor, second mother, coach and  educator who, at every turn, backed up her words. She describes her coaches: Pat Summit as passionately hard worker; Anne Donovan as a mentor for her young self in the Olympics; Geno Auriemma as master of creative offenses; Carol Ross and her focus on defense and transition game, and Brian Aglar bringing a winning mentality to the LA Sparks. Candace was drafted number #1 by the LA Sparks played for 13 years until this spring when in free agency she left for Chicago Sky to “go home”.  During her Olympic and pro career she recalls Maya Moore as ultimate competitor; Sue Bird with the highest basketball IQ; Diane Taurasi with skills and IQ, and Simone Augustus who Candace would say is the toughest player she ever played against . Candace sees sports as a complete metaphor for life; the lessons of team sports; the fight for equality; forgiveness; recovering  after a loss, to name a few. Candace loves training, playing and watching basketball and when that career is done she may go on to what she calls a second best job and that would be broadcasting basketball. For more information about the CWSA visit the website.

Vicki Huber went from being the fast girl picked by boys to play in her neighborhood games friends to being a multi-sport high school athlete in a small Delaware town to being world class middle distance runner, who along the way won the Honda Cup in 1989. She credits her High School Coach Joe McNichols for helping with college recruitment as well as sound advice along the way. She did not have the rigorous and disciplined clubs that runners have today at all ages but trained solo, which came with its own challenges.  After a challenging first year at Villanova she was not an immediate impact runner but close, even with her self described “wimpiness and crying”. The next summer she talked herself into returning strong, focused and mentally prepared.  Numerous national championships followed as did her qualifying for the Olympics her junior year. Vicki counters the verbiage of the TV announcer for the 1988 Olympic  trials in Eugene, Oregon who said she wasn’t passing the lead runner Mary Decker Slaney because she was her idol. We hear what Vicki really was doing on her way to qualifying for the Olympics .  Though not aware of the Honda Cup before receiving it she absolutely believes recognition and more of it is important for girls and women. Some of the best advice Vicky was given by coaches was “All in good time, be patient”, which she believes this was true for her. Vicki recounts how injuries are just part of the experience and the ability to have a supportive village; focus and determination makes the difference in being a champion or not.  This “village” helped her when, as a single mother, she decided to once again train for the Olympics, focusing on Atlanta in 1988.  She compares her experiences of 1988 Seoul and 1996 Atlanta as the difference of being “young and stupid” for the former and knowing way too much to be afraid of for the latter.  Vicki hopes she remained humble throughout her career and is pleased to be able to be giving back as a certified massage therapist and a high school coach. She cites the differences in the sport of running from 30 years ago to now and closes with encouraging everyone to lift up female athletes, to celebrate and pay attention to them. For more information about the CWSA visit the website.

Cindy Daws Mosley, the 1997 Honda Cup winner, was a multi-sport youth athlete as the 5th of six children growing up in Southern California. By the time she was a high school standout she had a decision to make - would she add to the star roster at University of North Carolina to assist in capturing yet one more national championship, or would she choose to lead a new era of pursuing championships at Notre Dame? Her decision resulted in Notre Dame participating  in three national championships. Cindy shares her fondest memories at Notre Dame as well as when she had to overcome foot surgery plus the lessons learned from competition. She describes the two other soccer players who are also Honda Cup Winners, Mia Hamm and Christine Sinclair, and distinguishes her coaches Chris Petrocelli, Anson Dorrance and Clive Charles.  After collegiate soccer and graduation Cindy went to Japan to play professionally. She describes the challenges of playing internationally for a year,  after which she takes the lessons she learned from sport into the business world as she represented Wilson for soccer and volleyball. Now married with four children, Cindy reflects on how she got into her current business, Sport Performance Mentality Coaching.  After 25 years in the midwest we welcome Cindy back to her roots in Southern California. For more information about the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards, visit https://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/.

Lucy Harris was not only the first Honda Cup winner in The Collegiate Women Sports Awards program back in 1976 but held many other firsts. She was the first woman to play in Madison Square Garden; the first woman to be officially drafted by a NBA team;  the first woman to be on national television broadcast; the first woman (along with Nera White) to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame; the first woman to score points in the Montreal Olympics, and in the inaugural Class of inductees in Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. As the tenth of eleven children, Lucy had to learn how to play basketball in order to keep up with the family games growing up. She recalls going to Delta State University on academic and work study support before they had scholarships. Within years she became the most dominating ‘center’ in the nation. Some may remember the 30 points and 18 rebounds in a championship which upended the champions Immaculate University while Lucy remembers that she only wanted to do the best she could on the court and make the coaches and team proud. However, it was her team that went on to win three national championships  Lucy talks about coming from a small town and being impressed by her first trip to New York City. She reflects about her wins and the making of a championship. She shares her role models, and compares her two legendary coaches, Margaret Wade  from Delta State and Billie  Moore from the Olympics as well as the collegiate and the Olympic game while crediting two of the CWSA sisterhood, Annie Meyers and Nancy Lieberman, as well as Pat Head (Summitt) with bringing great competitiveness to the games. Lucy admits that the NBA draft, from her perspective, was a PR stunt. She shares the life lessons she learned through basketball and is most grateful that women’s sports are being showcased.  And finally, Lucy reflects upon the challenges of being wheelchair bound because of hereditary rheumatoid arthritis and revels in the accomplishments of her four children. Among them is a lawyer, a masters degree teacher, a PhD, and a supervisor of the Louisiana State Dept of Education.  Fore more information about the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards visit http://collegiatewomensportsawards.com/.

Basketball player Jackie Stiles held the scoring record in the NCAA for about 16 years. Her story begins in the small town of Chaflin, KS where Jackie was a four sport high school athlete holding numerous track and field state titles. It was her love of basketball that took the shooting guard to college and onto the international court, to the WNBA and now a coaching career.  Jackie credits her teammates, coaches and her family and community support and love for her success.  After taking the Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) basketball team  to the NCAA Final Fours — scoring 41 points in win against Duke — she was awarded the 2001 Honda Cup and was drafted by the pros. Jackie talks about her biggest challenges at that level and the unintended consequences of her signature work ethic and overtraining.  She only wishes she would have known back then how to better take care of her body. Though she believes in the power of the mind, her injuries eventually caught up with her leaving her to claim an identity other than as a basketball player.  Jackie talks about having lived her life backwards with new found experiences and joys outside the gymnasium. She knows it was the support of those around her that made her dreams comes true and consequently she is committed to helping others by giving back to the sport, which makes her a successful Assistant Coach at University of Oklahoma. Host: Chris Voelz. Podcast length: 39 mins. A co-production with the CWSA. For more information, links and resources plus conversations from the world of women’s sport including articles, blogs, videos and podcasts visit wispsports.com. WiSP Sports is the World’s First and Only Podcast Network for Women’s Sport with more than 60 hosts, 1300+ episodes across 50 shows and over 7 million downloads. WiSP Sports is on all major podcast players. Follow WiSP Sports on social media @WiSPsports. Contact us at info@wispsports.com.

Sprinter Angela Williams rarely lost a race in her first ten years of competition and she credits her father’s coaching, family’s support, the gift of an explosive start, her community of faith and the fact she loved running. None of this changed as she held the top mark for the 20th century of 10:95 sec for the 100 meters. Because of this positive foundation, high expectations did not seem to bother her.  At University of Southern California, she set the NCAA record of being a four time winner in the 100 meters.  This record culminated in Angela being named Track and Field Athlete of the Year and 2001 Honda Cup Winner. She shares how important these accolades were since women in sport were not getting the recognition they deserve. Angela  had her share of physical injury setbacks, which thwarted her participation in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics but she bounced back for the 2004 Olympics. She describes what happens when, while ranked number #1 in the world and while she is the lead off runner for the 4 x 100m, history is made for the wrong reasons. Angela explains what happened to those two very talented quartets and how teamwork prevailed. Now a mother of three and HR Manager for an engineering firm she leaves the audience with her advice to all; “remember why you are running and don’t lose your joy.” Length: 49 mins A co-production with the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Host: Chris Voelz

The 1986 Honda Cup winner, Kamie Ethridge, was a typical West Texas kid who was taught to be helpful, to be proud of being a Texan and good to the bone. Kamie and her sister excelled in tennis which consumed their childhood until they discovered basketball, the sport that would be a central  part of Kamie’s life to this day. Kamie relates the heartbreak of losing and the validation of winning. She credits setbacks for being the foundation of what can happen in the future.  Kamie credits her team and University of Texas - Austin for the support she received, which led to one of her biggest accomplishments; winning the Honda Cup. She talks about having her world rocked with a knee injury and the transition to having the goal of making the team rather than starting for the team. Not surprisingly Kamie thinks resiliency is one of the best attributes and life lessons she learned through sport. Responding in one or two words to describe the uniqueness of the coaches she played or worked with, Kamie notes: “classy”, “down to earth”, “idea coach”, “sees the hearts and heads of her players”, and “ability to bring together a variety of personalities”.  She speaks to the role models who taught her unabashed pursuit, and offers this advice to her 18-21 year old self: pay attention to sleep, nutrition and training. Listen to Kamie share the best advice her college coach Jody Conrad shared with her through actions. She has clearly followed her passion for the sport and, as the head coach for Washington State University, is instilling a future with five core values; respect, compete, trust, toughness and accountability.  Coach Ethridge also emphasizes the need to both give voice and listen to better understand racial injustices. Host: Chris Voelz, CWSA Executive Director Podcast length: 47 mins. A co-production with WISP Sports. For more information, links and resources plus conversations from the world of women’s sport including articles, blogs, videos and podcasts visit wispsports.com. WiSP Sports is the World’s First and Only Podcast Network for Women’s Sport with more than 60 hosts, 1300+ episodes across 50 shows and over 7 million downloads. WiSP Sports is on all major podcast players. Follow WiSP Sports on social media @WiSPsports. Contact us at info@wispsports.com.

Mary T Meagher played a variety of sports when she was growing up but took most naturally to swimming and especially the butterfly stroke.  The 10th of 11 children she describes the sport of swimming as being very objective in training times and success. The boycott of the 1980 Olympics was devastating for many other Olympians but Mary was only 14  at the time and not yet dreaming of being an Olympian. She was however competitive from a young age and explains the differences between collegiate and Olympic swimming, as well as her losses and failures.   Mary speaks to her new found freedoms while at CAL, about winning the Honda-Broderick Cup, the transition after her third Olympics and the appreciation she had  for having balance in her life.  “Madame Butterfly”, as she was popularly referred to, shares the qualities that made her a champion and goes on to describe five fellow Olympic swimmers and past Honda Cup winners in the CWSA sisterhood. She also  talks about the advantage of younger swimmers and disadvantage for older swimmers as they pivot in Olympic  training and competition between the summer of  2020  and preparing for Tokyo 2021. Host: Chris Voelz, CWSA Executive Director Podcast length: 42 mins. A co-production with WiSP Sports For more information, links and resources plus conversations from the world of women’s sport including articles, blogs, videos and podcasts visit wispsports.com. WiSP Sports is the World’s First and Only Podcast Network for Women’s Sport with more than 60 hosts, 1300+ episodes across 50 shows and over 7 million downloads. WiSP Sports is on all major podcast players. Follow WiSP Sports on social media @WiSPsports. Contact us at info@wispsports.com.