Yanis David, a senior from the University of Florida, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Track & Field as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 43 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. With this honor, David becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious Class of 2019 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 24, 2019, at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET, in downtown Los Angeles.
David was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Janeek Brown (Arkansas), Allie Ostrander (Boise State) and Sha’Carri Richardson (LSU).
“I am pleased and honored to receive track and field’s Honda Award and join such a prestigious group of athletes who came before me,” David said. “There were several great track and field athletes this year, and even more amazing performances, so just to be chosen from all the best in that group is awesome. I want to thank my family for the support they give me from all the way back in Guadeloupe. I want to thank my coaches and teammates that pushed me, both on and off the field, to become the best person and athlete I can be. Without their support, none of this would have been possible.”
“Nearly four years ago I was given a choice, I took a chance, and today this recognition shows my leap of faith paid off. I’m proud of what I accomplished as an athlete for the Gators and student at the University of Florida. And I’m happy to represent the program and everyone back in Guadeloupe in such a great way.”
David, a senior from Lamentin, Guadeloupe, scored 18 points at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a victory in the long jump and a runner-up finish in the triple jump. It was in the long jump where David tied as the seventh best performer in collegiate history with her leap of 6.84m (22-5¼). She was named the SEC Outdoor Women's Field Athlete of the Year after sweeping the horizontal jump titles at the conference meet.
She is the only woman in history to crack the collegiate all-time top 10 list in both horizontal jumps and is the second woman in history to sweep the horizontal jumps titles in one year at the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. A 13-time USTFCCCA Indoor and Outdoor All-American, she was most recently named to The Bowerman Watch List.
“Yanis is an incredible person and embodies not only what our program stands for, but what collegiate track and field is all about – both on and off the track.” said head coach Mike Holloway. “This is a well-deserved honor.”
Honda Sport Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year.
The CWSA, in its 43rd year, honors the nation’s top NCAA women athletes recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.3 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.
About Honda
Honda seeks to be a company that society wants to exist, creating products and technologies that improve the lives of people while minimizing the environmental impacts of its products and business operations to ensure a sustainable future.
Honda also is committed to making positive contributions to the communities where it does business, conducting socially responsible business practices and promoting diversity in its workforce. From Honda’s involvement in STEM education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to its support of pediatric brain tumor research and volunteer efforts by Honda associates, including environmental clean-up activities, Honda believes in giving back to the communities where its associates live and work.
Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/