Dec. 13, 2007
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IOWA CITY, IA — Senior Diane Nukuri was one of four finalists for the 2008 Honda Sports Award, given annually to the nation’s top female cross country runner by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards.
Two-time NCAA women’s cross country champion Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech was named the award winner last week. Nukuri, Colorado junior Jenny Barringer and Florida State sophomore Susan Kuijken were nominated for the award based on their finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships. Kipyego, who also won the award in 2007, is now a nominee for The Honda-Broderick Cup awarded annually to the nation’s outstanding collegiate woman Athlete of the Year. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. sponsors the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program. In addition to the honor, American Honda will donate $1,000 to the women’s athletic fund of each nominee’s university. The winner’s program will receive $5,000.
Nukuri is a two-time all-American in cross country, and two-time NCAA Midwest regional champion and Athlete of the Year the last two seasons at Iowa. She became Iowa’s first Big Ten champion since Tracy Dahl in 1992. Nukuri won the 2007 conference race and was named Big Ten women’s cross country Athlete of the Year. Nukuri holds school cross country records in the 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 and 6,000 meters, and Ashton Course marks in the 3,000 and 4,000 meters.
Former Hawkeye distance runner Nan Doak is the only other Iowa women’s cross country runner to be nominated for the national award. Doak was nominated in 1983-84 after she earned her third all-America honor.
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