Junior Jazzy Richards from the University of Oklahoma, Redshirt Senior Savannah Rennie of Cal and senior Alexandra Watson from the University of Texas are named finalists for the Honda Inspiration Award as announced by Judy Sweet, CWSA Board Member and Chair of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) Inspiration Award committee.
The Honda Inspiration Award winner for the Class of 2020 will be selected from these three finalists by the CWSA Board of Directors and honored with the Class of 2021.
An Inspiration Award winner has been selected annually for the past 32 years. The CWSA has been balancing the recognition of deserving honorees with these unusual times as collegiate athletics have come to a halt. Given the nationwide pandemic, the recently announced the cancellation of the 2020 Collegiate Women Sports Awards event that was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in June, but the winner will be invited to the 2021 45th anniversary event next June.
“Each year we hear the stories of incredible women who have been challenged by great adversity and yet persist and return to athletic competition. This year is no exception," stated Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the CWSA. “All the nominees hold our respect for their journeys. We are especially happy to share the stories of the three finalists whom the Board of Directors will vote on to select the Class of 2020’s Honda Inspiration Award winner.”
The Honda Inspiration Award is given to a deserving female student-athlete in Division I, II or III who has experienced extraordinary physical and/or emotional adversity, injury and/or illness, or experienced extraordinary personal sacrifice during her college enrollment as a student-athlete and yet returns to athletic success.
"There were more than 20 nominations for the 2020 Inspiration Award, and each had a truly inspiring story,” said Sweet. "The three finalists demonstrated strength, resiliency, determination and success in overcoming significant health challenges.“
Jazzy Richards, Junior, University of Oklahoma, Soccer
In July 2018, Jazzy Richards collided with another player. Despite not feeling much pain, a few days later, the incoming freshman discovered blood in her urine and told her athletic trainer. She was referred to a local hospital for scanning and tests and sent home the next day for a month of rest and no physical activity. When her symptoms had not improved after a month, she was referred to a specialist who found a tumor in her bladder which was biopsied as malignant. Richards was the only known person in the world to be diagnosed with a brain tumor in her bladder.
There was no treatment protocol for this aggressive cancer and chemotherapy was not known to work for this type of cancer. Doctors presented two treatment options to Jazzy and her parents: monitor the tumor and, if it grows, remove the entire bladder or remove the bladder now. The family made the difficult decision to remove the bladder.
Six weeks after surgery Richards returned to campus cancer free. In March 2019, she was cleared to resume training. In May, she returned to soccer and ultimately, she played in all 19 games of the 2019 season, starting 10. Her first career goal came against Sooner rival, the Texas Longhorns, just over a year after her journey had begun.
Savannah Rennie, Redshirt Senior, University of California, Berkeley, Volleyball
Rennie overcame overwhelming adversity several times during her volleyball career at the University of California, all the while being an outstanding teammate and student-athlete. Since arriving at Cal in 2015, Rennie pushed through a liver transplant, Non-Hodgkin Post Transplant Lymphoma and a torn ACL. She first came back from the liver transplant, ready to prepare for the 2017 volleyball season, only to fall ill and be diagnosed with the Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. After going through several treatments, while continuing to participate in practice and support her teammates when possible, she finally got healthy and was ready for a strong senior season in 2019.
One-third of the way through the season, Rennie suffered a torn ACL in practice. True to form, she did not give up, and looked for any way possible to continue with her final season. Rennie worked with doctors who cleared her to continue playing with a brace on her knee for the rest of the season, helping Cal to its best volleyball season since 2011 at 20-10.
Alexandra Watson, Senior, University of Texas, Rowing
In August 2017, Watson was diagnosed with Lemierre syndrome, a bacterial infection in the throat that led to sepsis. Her infection was resistant to antibiotics and the doctors struggled to formulate a treatment that would help. Nodules began forming on her throat and at one point she stopped breathing. Doctors were unable to operate on her throat as her heart rate spiked and they opted to place her in an induced coma for three days. When she was revived, she was in ICU for a week, and in the hospital for another six days. As she recovered, unable to eat, drink, walk and talk, she lost 25-30 pounds.
Once home, Watson eased her way back on to the water and back to full workouts in February. She did not miss a race in 2018. She earned a spot in the Varsity Eight and helped the Longhorns to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
The CWSA, in its 44th 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 $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility
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/.