TicketsCINCINNATI - Two University of Cincinnati student-athletes and one head coach have been selected for annual Cincinnati USA Women's Sports Association awards with Loretta Blaut (track & field) and Monica Borzillo (lacrosse) being named College Sportswoman of the Year in their respective sports while Susan Seaton, the Director of Track & Field/Cross Country, was named the College Coach of the Year.
All three Bearcats, along with winners from the remaining collegiate sports, high school sports and special recognition awards, will be honored at the annual awards banquet Monday, April 16, at the Schiff Banquet and Conference Center on Xavier's campus. The event also will commemorate the silver anniversary of the annual awards banquet that was, according the Association, created to "recognize, at the local level, outstanding achievement of female athletes and those who support them. Such recognition is important as it enables the athletes to realize their participation in sport is valued and respected, and it enhances community awareness and support. The association believes strongly in the valuable lessons and benefits that accrue from participation in sport".
Blaut was selected as the College Sportswoman of the Year for Track & Field and is now a finalist for the overall College Sportswoman of the Year Award. A standout in the high jump for the Bearcats, Blaut is a four-time USTFCCCA All-America honoree, most recently placing second in the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships after tying for the win and settling for second place after a seven-round jump-off. A three-time American Athletic Conference Champion in the high jump, Blaut has been ranked among the Top 10 nationally in the event in the past two years and ranks among the best in program history a she is tied for the school record indoor and tied for third outdoors on the program's all-time Top 10 ledgers. This is the second award earned by Blaut from the Association, but just her first collegiate honor as the Seton High School product was named the High School Sportswoman of the Year in Track & Field in 2014. Blaut is the sixth member of the program since 2011 to be selected for the college award.
For the first time, a member of the Bearcats lacrosse program has been honored with sophomore Borzillo claiming the honor. Last year, Borzillo had a monster freshman season as she led the Bearcats in all three major offensive categories, tallying 73 points on 39 goals and 34 assists. While her goal total was the second-highest recorded in a single season in program history, her points and assists broke the previous records of 52 points and 27 assists. A five-time BIG EAST Conference Freshman of the Week and 2017 BIG EAST All-Second Team honoree, Borzillo has picked up where she left off as she has already recorded 54 points on 33 goals and 21 assists to rank among the Top 25 nationally and amongst the Top 10 in all three in the conference. To date, her point total is second all-time in a season while her goals and assists rank her seventh and fourth, respectively. She has helped the Bearcats to a program-best 6-6 start so far in 2018.
Seaton was named the College Coach of the Year for the second year in a row after guiding the Bearcats women to another AAC crown. During the 2018 outdoor season, Seaton's Bearcats put on a show in Houston with five individual and two relay titles won to give UC a commanding 31-point margin of victory over runner-up UConn (138-107) as the Bearcats repeated as AAC champions. Just the second title won in women's program history, the accolades didn't stop there as Blaut (high jump) and the 4x400m relay of Haisha Bisiolu, Deanna Gesicki, Tiona Lattimore and Bryana Robinson all qualified for and earned All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. While it was Blaut's third All-America honor, the relay not only advanced the national meet for the first time in program history (men or women), it also earned the first relay All-America honors in UC history. Building off that, the women recently captured their first indoor conference crown, taking the AAC title by a record 63 points, before Blaut and Annette Echikunwoke (weight throw) both placed second nationally to give UC its most points in an NCAA event (16) and the program's highest national finish ever (12th place).
2018 College Sportswoman of the Year honorees:
Loretta Blaut • Track & Field
Monica Borzillo • Lacrosse
2018 College Coach of the Year (all sports)
Susan Seaton • Cincinnati Track & Field
Previous Winners (since 2011)
College Sportswoman of the Year • Overall (all sports)
Annette Echikunwoke (Track & Field) • 2017
Mackenzie Fields (Track & Field) • 2014
Missy Harpenau (Volleyball) • 2012
Kathy Klump (Track & Field) • 2013
Stephanie Niemer (Volleyball) • 2011
2018 recipient to be announced April 16
College Sportswoman of the Year • Sport Award Winners
Loretta Blaut • Track & Field • 2018
Monica Borzillo • Lacrosse • 2018
Jasmine Cotten • Track & Field • 2012
Annette Echikunwoke • Track & Field • 2017
Mackenzie Fields • Track & Field • 2014
Missy Harpenau • Volleyball • 2012
Erika Hurd • Track & Field • 2016
Jacqueline Keire • Swimming & Diving • 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Kathy Klump • Track & Field • 2013
Stephanie Niemer • Volleyball • 2011
Jordan Thompson • Volleyball • 2017
College Coach of the Year
2018 • Susan Seaton (Track & Field)
2017 • Susan Seaton (Track & Field)
All three Bearcats, along with winners from the remaining collegiate sports, high school sports and special recognition awards, will be honored at the annual awards banquet Monday, April 16, at the Schiff Banquet and Conference Center on Xavier's campus. The event also will commemorate the silver anniversary of the annual awards banquet that was, according the Association, created to "recognize, at the local level, outstanding achievement of female athletes and those who support them. Such recognition is important as it enables the athletes to realize their participation in sport is valued and respected, and it enhances community awareness and support. The association believes strongly in the valuable lessons and benefits that accrue from participation in sport".
Blaut was selected as the College Sportswoman of the Year for Track & Field and is now a finalist for the overall College Sportswoman of the Year Award. A standout in the high jump for the Bearcats, Blaut is a four-time USTFCCCA All-America honoree, most recently placing second in the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships after tying for the win and settling for second place after a seven-round jump-off. A three-time American Athletic Conference Champion in the high jump, Blaut has been ranked among the Top 10 nationally in the event in the past two years and ranks among the best in program history a she is tied for the school record indoor and tied for third outdoors on the program's all-time Top 10 ledgers. This is the second award earned by Blaut from the Association, but just her first collegiate honor as the Seton High School product was named the High School Sportswoman of the Year in Track & Field in 2014. Blaut is the sixth member of the program since 2011 to be selected for the college award.
For the first time, a member of the Bearcats lacrosse program has been honored with sophomore Borzillo claiming the honor. Last year, Borzillo had a monster freshman season as she led the Bearcats in all three major offensive categories, tallying 73 points on 39 goals and 34 assists. While her goal total was the second-highest recorded in a single season in program history, her points and assists broke the previous records of 52 points and 27 assists. A five-time BIG EAST Conference Freshman of the Week and 2017 BIG EAST All-Second Team honoree, Borzillo has picked up where she left off as she has already recorded 54 points on 33 goals and 21 assists to rank among the Top 25 nationally and amongst the Top 10 in all three in the conference. To date, her point total is second all-time in a season while her goals and assists rank her seventh and fourth, respectively. She has helped the Bearcats to a program-best 6-6 start so far in 2018.
Seaton was named the College Coach of the Year for the second year in a row after guiding the Bearcats women to another AAC crown. During the 2018 outdoor season, Seaton's Bearcats put on a show in Houston with five individual and two relay titles won to give UC a commanding 31-point margin of victory over runner-up UConn (138-107) as the Bearcats repeated as AAC champions. Just the second title won in women's program history, the accolades didn't stop there as Blaut (high jump) and the 4x400m relay of Haisha Bisiolu, Deanna Gesicki, Tiona Lattimore and Bryana Robinson all qualified for and earned All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. While it was Blaut's third All-America honor, the relay not only advanced the national meet for the first time in program history (men or women), it also earned the first relay All-America honors in UC history. Building off that, the women recently captured their first indoor conference crown, taking the AAC title by a record 63 points, before Blaut and Annette Echikunwoke (weight throw) both placed second nationally to give UC its most points in an NCAA event (16) and the program's highest national finish ever (12th place).
2018 College Sportswoman of the Year honorees:
Loretta Blaut • Track & Field
Monica Borzillo • Lacrosse
2018 College Coach of the Year (all sports)
Susan Seaton • Cincinnati Track & Field
Previous Winners (since 2011)
College Sportswoman of the Year • Overall (all sports)
Annette Echikunwoke (Track & Field) • 2017
Mackenzie Fields (Track & Field) • 2014
Missy Harpenau (Volleyball) • 2012
Kathy Klump (Track & Field) • 2013
Stephanie Niemer (Volleyball) • 2011
2018 recipient to be announced April 16
College Sportswoman of the Year • Sport Award Winners
Loretta Blaut • Track & Field • 2018
Monica Borzillo • Lacrosse • 2018
Jasmine Cotten • Track & Field • 2012
Annette Echikunwoke • Track & Field • 2017
Mackenzie Fields • Track & Field • 2014
Missy Harpenau • Volleyball • 2012
Erika Hurd • Track & Field • 2016
Jacqueline Keire • Swimming & Diving • 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Kathy Klump • Track & Field • 2013
Stephanie Niemer • Volleyball • 2011
Jordan Thompson • Volleyball • 2017
College Coach of the Year
2018 • Susan Seaton (Track & Field)
2017 • Susan Seaton (Track & Field)