Texas junior Ebony Nwanebu was named a finalist for the Honda Sport Award for Volleyball alongside Kadie Rolfzen of Nebraska, Inky Ajanaku of Stanford and Sarah Wilhite of Minnesota.
The award has been given annually for 41 years by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards. It’s given to the top athlete in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. The winner is eligible to win the 2017 Honda Cup as the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.
Nwanebu, a two-time First-Team All-American, completed her first full season at Texas with 423 kills while hitting a team-high .379 in 30 matches. She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team in addition to being selected as the Austin Regional MVP. She was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team.
Sally Schlobohm is the only UT volleyball player to win the award, doing so in 1981. Overall, seven Texas volleyball players have been nominated on nine occasions. Past nominees include Haley Eckerman (2012, 2013), Juliann Faucette (2010), Destinee Hooker (2008, 2009), Demetria Sance (1998) and Katy Jameyson (1993).
The finalists are chosen by a panel of coaches from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Over 1,000 NCAA member schools will vote on the winner which will be announced next week.
The winner will then be eligible to win the Honda Cup Award which will be presented in June.
