June 15, 2001

Rodgers wins top D-III female athlete award

Women's basketball player Tasha Rodgers, the second-leading scorer in school history, was named winner of the 2000-01 Honda Award as the NCAA Division III Woman Athlete of the Year.

Rodgers was presented with the award during the annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention Monday in Salt Lake City. This is the second consecutive year a Bear has earned this prestigious recognition.

Rodgers, a two-time first-team All-American and the University Athletic Association Player of the Year, scored 20.2 points per game this season, the second-highest scoring average in school history. Leading the Bears to a fourth straight national championship, Rodgers tallied career-highs in the title game with 36 points and 13 rebounds. Rodgers finished in the top three all-time at the University in points, rebounds, scoring average, steals, shooting percentage and free-throw percentage.

The Honda Awards Program, in its 24th year overall and 13th year in Division III, recognizes the top collegiate Division III athlete in 12 sports. Those 12 winners are finalists for the Honda Award, honoring the Division III Woman Athlete of the Year.

Rodgers joins basketball star Alia Fischer (1999-2000) and volleyball standouts Amy Albers (1994-95) and Shelley Swan (1995-96) as the University's winners of the Honda Award. WU is the only Division III school to have won the award four times.

In addition to becoming the only Division III team to win four straight national titles, the 2000-01 Bears also set the NCAA women's basketball all-divisions record for most consecutive wins with 81. The Bears fourth national championship places them with Division II North Dakota State as the only women's basketball teams to win four in a row.