Henderson would be third Bruin to receive prestigious
Honda Award UCLA’s Monique Henderson, the
nation’s top-ranked sprinter in the 400 meters, was named one
of four finalists for the Honda Sports Award, track and
field’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. Tennessee sophomore
Tianna Madison (long jump), Texas sophomore Marshavette Hooker
(long jump, 100m) and USC junior Virginia Powell also were
nominated for the award. The winner will be decided by nationwide
voting among NCAA member schools and will become a nominee for the
Honda-Broderick Cup, awarded annually to the nation’s
outstanding Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Henderson, an
Olympic gold medallist with the U.S. 4x400m relay team last summer
in Greece, won the West Regional Championship in the 200m and 400m
last weekend in Oregon. Her top time in the 400m this season, 50.78
seconds, is less than three-quarters of a second shy of the
collegiate record. She could become the third Bruin to win the
award, joining Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1985) and Evelyn Ashford
(1977). UCLA has one winner this season ““ NCAA vault and beam
champion Kristen Maloney, the recipient of the Honda Award for
gymnastics.
SWIMMING: Assistant coach Greg Meehan will leave UCLA to pursue
a head coaching position at another university, head coach Cyndi
Gallagher announced on Tuesday. Meehan, who has been with the
Bruins for four years, was primarily responsible for the distance
and individual medley swimmers, helping to guide the Bruins to
their second conference title in 2003. “His integrity, work
ethic and passion for becoming the best has left a mark on the UCLA
swim program,” Gallagher said. “Everyone is very sad to
see him leave, and he will be dearly missed, but we are excited for
him as he takes on this new challenge.” Besides working with
UCLA, he was also an assistant coach to the USA Swimming National
Distance Camp. Before arriving in Westwood, Meehan assisted at
Princeton for two years.
BASEBALL: UCLA right fielder Chris Jensen was named Honorable
Mention All-Pac-10, it was announced Tuesday. Though he missed half
of the 2005 season due to a hamstring injury, Jensen still managed
a .368 overall batting average and seven home runs. He finished the
year with 39 hits in 106 at-bats, six doubles, seven home runs and
21 runs batted in. His batting average of .368 and slugging
percentage of .623 were tops on the Bruin team.
From staff and wire reports.