Dec. 9, 2002

Chapel Hill, N.C. - Honda announced that junior cross country runner Shalane Flanagan (Marblehead, Mass.) is the recipient of the Honda Award for the top female cross country runner in the nation in 2002. This is Flanagan's second top runner award this season after earning her second consecutive NCAA Cross Country Female Athlete of the Year award this fall. She won her first national championship on Nov. 25, in Terre Haute, Ind, after setting new course record with a time of 19:36. Flanagan finished the year with five individual championships in five competitions, including her third straight ACC and NCAA Southeast Regional titles. She is the first UNC cross country runner to win this prestigious award.

The Honda award ballot is sent to more than 1,000 NCAA member institutions throughout the United States. American Honda Motor Company, Inc. will make a $5,000 donation to the women's athletics program at North Carolina.

The other finalist for the award were Alecia Craig (Stanford), Lauren Fleshman (Stanford) and Kate O'Neill (Yale). Flanagan is eligible for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year award that is decided in June 2003. Mia Hamm (1993-94) is the only Tar Heel to win the Honda-Broderick Cup Award.