Chamberlain Up for Honda Sports Award

NORMAN – Oklahoma's Lauren Chamberlain is one of four nominees for the Honda Sports Award for softball, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) has announced.

The Honda Sports Award is presented annually by the CWSA to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2015 Honda Cup. The nominees were chosen by a group of experts representing the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

In addition to Chamberlain, the field of candidates also includes Florida's Lauren Haeger, Oregon's Cheridan Hawkins and Michigan's Sierra Romero.

Following the 2015 season, Chamberlain was named a first-team All-American by the NFCA, joining former Sooner Keilani Ricketts as the only four-time All-Americans in Oklahoma history, as well as the only OU players to be named to the first team three times in a career.

The NCAA's all-time leader in home runs (95) and slugging percentage (.960), Chamberlain hit .399 this season with 23 home runs and tied Pendley for the team lead in runs batted in with 65. Chamberlain also led the team with 62 walks and a .589 on-base percentage. She hit 11 doubles, four triples and stole eight bases while playing in 56 of 58 games.

In addition to being the all-time home run and slugging percentage leader, Chamberlain finished her career fifth all-time in Division I in runs scored (272), ninth in walks (207) and 10th in runs batted in (254).

The Honda Sports award winner for softball will be announced next week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.

Honda Sports award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year. All Honda Sports award winners become a finalist for the prestigious 2015 Honda Cup award which will be presented on June 29, in a live televised broadcast on CBS Sports Network from L.A.

Ricketts is the only previous winner from Oklahoma, taking home honors in 2012 and 2013. She was also awarded the Honda Cup in 2013.