University of California's Caitlin Leverenz Receives Honda Sports Award for Swimming & Diving

LOS ANGELES--March 27, 2012:  Caitlin Leverenz, who rallied from a disappointing collegiate debut to lead her University of California, Berkeley team to the 2012 national championship in swimming, has won the Honda Sports Award for swimming and diving. Her selection by the Collegiate Women Sports Award Program recognizes Leverenz as the country's top female athlete in her sport.

Leverenz contributed 57 points in her team's second consecutive national championship and third in four years and was named the top swimmer of the meet. In her first individual titles in three NCAA appearances, the junior set an American record along with NCAA, U.S. Open, and Pac-12 records in the 200 IM and established a school record in her 200 breaststroke victory. She swam the breaststroke legs of the school's 200 medley relay that set American, NCAA, U.S. Open, and Pac-12 records and 400 medley relay that broke NCAA, U.S. Open, and Pac-12 records.

"I'm so honored to have been selected from among such amazing swimmers," said Leverenz. "What happened at the NCAAs this year is a testament to how hard I've worked and to the staff. There are a lot of good swimmers coming out of high schools, but coach Teri McKeever has what can make them great. From the time I started at Cal I told her I wanted to make the Olympic team, and she has held me to those standards."

Leverenz will pursue her dreams in June at the U.S. Olympic trials, planning to compete in the 200 and 400 IM and 200 and 400 breaststroke events. A top recruit out of Tucson, Ariz., Leverenz opened her collegiate career by being crowned Queen of the Pool at the Cal Poly Invitational and was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, she contributed to her school's record-setting victories at the national championships in the 200 and 400 medley relays. A public health major, she was selected as a Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention in 2011.

The Honda Sports Award is presented annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. As a Honda prize recipient, Leverenz becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious Honda Cup.  She was chosen by a vote of coaches from 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Katinka Hosszu of the University of Southern California, Megan Romano of the University of Georgia, and Breeja Larson of Texas A&M.