Watley: top female college athlete

Gilbert Quiñonez
Published: Monday, June 30, 2003

UCLA softball player Natasha Watley was named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year when she received the 27th annual Honda-Broderick Cup on June 23.

The senior shortstop was among the leaders in the nation by hitting .481 with 64 runs and 35 stolen bases. She also had some power, hitting 10 home runs.

More importantly for the Bruins, Watley helped lead UCLA to a softball NCAA Championship. She hit .440 in the Women’s College World Series and got several key hits, including a game-tying single in the seventh inning with two outs in the elimination game the night before the NCAA Championship game.

“I am extremely honored,” Watley said. “It was great to win the Honda Award for softball, but to be the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and winning the Honda-Broderick Cup just tops it all off.”

A Honda Award is given to the top athlete in 12 different sports, with the 12 winners eligible for the Honda-Broderick Cup.

The list was cut down to five on June 18 – Watley, Princeton lacrosse player Rachel Becker, Cal swimmer Natalie Coughlin, Connecticut basketball player Diana Taurasi, and Stanford volleyball player Logan Tom.

The balloting for the award involved all NCAA member institutions.

“To be in the company of the people who have won this award previously and to have my name listed with a person like Lisa Fernandez is unbelievable,” Watley said.

Some of the best female athletes in the world have won the award, including Fernandez, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mia Hamm and Angela Williams.

Watley joins Fernandez, Joyner-Kersee and Ann Meyers as the only four Bruins to have won the award.

“UCLA softball is thrilled that Natasha Watley was chosen as the top female athlete in the country,” UCLA softball head coach Sue Enquist said. “Natasha’s excellence transcends the softball field. She not only is a great softball player, but is an incredible student-athlete with character and class.”

Watley was in Honolulu helping the USA Softball national team win the U.S. Cup when she was informed she had won the award.

The award was presented to her at Columbia University in New York City.