Andree Pickens Wins Honda Gymnastics Award
5/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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For the fourth time since 1985, an Alabama athlete has earned the Honda Award for Gymnastics.
Senior Andree’ Pickens, just days after leading Alabama to its fourth NCAA title, earned the award that denotes the nation’s top gymnast. The Houston, Texas native is now eligible for the Honda-Broderick Cup, given annually to the nation’s top female student-athlete. Pickens and 11 other sports winners, will gather in Dallas, Texas June 17 when the Cup winner will be announced.
“This is obviously a great honor, one that I share with my teammates and coaches,” Pickens said. “I could not have competed at this level without them. I am proud of the recognition this award has brought to my team and to the University of Alabama. While winning the NCAA team title last week is the highlight of my career, this certainly is a great achievement.”
Alabama’s four Honda Award for gymnastics winners is the second most in the 26 year history of the award. Previous Alabama winners include Penney Hauschild (1985 and 1986) and Dee Dee Foster (1993). Pickens was a finalist in 1999.
“Andree’ is not only one of the most talented gymnasts in our program’s history, she is also one of the hardest workers,” Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. “Her career, especially this wonderful senior year, is a testament to what can be achieved when you combine those two factors, tremendous talent and a tremendous work ethic, together. She is also one of the most unselfish and giving young women I have ever had the privilege of working with. Andree’ has worked tirelessly within the University and Tuscaloosa community.”
Patterson’s comments were echoed by Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore.
“Andree' is a model student-athlete,” Moore said. “She is a two-time NCAA Champion and as captain led her team to the 2002 NCAA Championship. I am even more proud of her academic and community service activities. She has truly made an impact on our campus, our University community, and the NCAA. She represents the very best in Intercollegiate Athletics”
After tearing her left Achilles tendon just days before the NCAA Championships her junior year, Pickens missed just one meet, the 2001 NCAA Championships, during her comeback. Despite a normal recovery period of nine to 12 months, Pickens was back for the very first meet of 2002 and proved she was back stronger than ever for her senior year.
A two-time NCAA Champion and captain of the Tide’s 2002 NCAA Champion squad, Pickens earned 14 All-American honors in three seasons (in gymnastics, All-American honors are decided at the NCAA Championships). She earned seven Southeastern Conference titles during her Tide tenure, including two all-around crowns. She is the first gymnast in SEC history to win four titles in a single season.
During her career, Pickens was the 1999 SEC Freshman of the Year and went on to be named SEC Gymnast of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior. She is the only gymnast to earn the honor more than once. Pickens was also named NCAA Regional Gymnast of the Year all four years of her career.
She earned the 2002 Southeastern Conference Community Service Postgraduate Scholarship as well as the American Award, a national award given annually to the senior gymnast who best represents the ideal combination of athleticism, academic excellence and civic responsibility.
The Biology major was three-time Academic All-Southeastern Conference and earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average this fall. A finalist for a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, Pickens has been accepted into the Medical Academic Advancement Program at the University of Virginia, a six-week summer program designed to prepare students for careers in medicine.
One of five honorable mentions in "Glamour" magazine's "2001-02 Top-Ten College Women." Pickens was also selected as a recipient of the 2001-02 Outstanding Senior Award from the University’s National Alumni Association.
Pickens finishes her undergraduate degree next spring and plans on attending medical school.
