Washington AD Barbara Hedges Wins Honda Award of Merit
May 16, 2000
Seattle - University of Washington Director of Athletics Barbara Hedges has been named winner of the Honda Award of Merit, presented by the Honda Awards Advisory Board to an individual who has made a significant and enduring contribution to women's college sports.
Hedges was one of the few women in the nation selected to direct a combined men's and women's intercollegiate athletics program when she accepted her post at UW in 1991. She is currently responsible for the daily operation of 23 men's and women's sports and a $27-million budget, and has built the overall Husky athletic program into one of the country's best. Immediately prior to coming to UW, Hedges served as associate athletic director at the University of Southern California.
Hedges has achieved national prominence for her ongoing commitment to collegiate athletics. In 1996-97, she became the first woman to serve as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), and in 1998, she was the first woman named to the Board of Directors for the National Football Foundation. She has served as president of the Council of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators and the Western Collegiate Athletic Association. She also served a term as president of the Division I-A Women's Athletic Administrators, chaired the NCAA Honors Committee, the NCAA Women's Tennis Committee for eight years, and the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Tennis Committee in 1988. She was an original member of the Honda Awards advisory board.
Additionally, Hedges was tournament director for the 1995 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 1993 NCAA Men's Basketball West Regional and the 1984 Women's Basketball West Regional. She is currently a member of the NCAA Working Group to study basketball issues, and chairs the Pac-10's budget and finance committee.
A native of Glendale, Ariz., Hedges received her bachelor's degree in physical education from Arizona State University, and her master's from the University of Arizona. She will receive the Honda Award of Merit at the 24th annual Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year banquet, June 12 at Orlando, Fla., site of the 2000 NACDA convention.
Past winners are: Charlotte West, Southern Illinois University (1994-95), Phyllis Howlett, Big 10 Conference (1995-96), Christine Grant, University of Iowa (1996-97), Judith M. Sweet, University of California-San Diego (1997-98), and Judith R. Holland, UCLA (1998-99).
Also being honored with Honda Awards at the banquet will be 12 women collegiate athletes voted as the most outstanding in the sports of basketball, cross-country, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. All Honda Award winners are automatically nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year honors.
The Collegiate Women Athletes of the Year from Division II and Division III schools, as well as the winner of the Honda Inspiration Award, honoring the collegiate woman athlete who has overcome great physical adversity to contribute to the recognizable success of her team, will also be presented Honda Awards at the June 12 banquet.
The awards program is sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
