SAN DIEGO, CALIF. -- University of Arizona pitcher Jennie Finch, named Most Outstanding Player of the 2001 Women's College World Series, has been named winner of the Honda Award as the top woman collegiate athlete in softball for the 2000-01 collegiate year, according to the results of national balloting among NCAA-member schools.

Finch, a junior from LaMirada, California (LaMirada High School), pitched a four-hit, 1-0 shutout of UCLA in the NCAA Championship game,in which she struck out seven and walked just two (one intentionally). She is the first Arizona starting pitcher to complete an undefeated season in the circle (32-0), including 20 shutouts, one of which was her fifth career no-hitter. Finch complemented her 0.54 earned run average and 253 strikeouts with a .313 batting average, 11 home runs (three grand slams) and 57 RBI. She was named first team All-Pacific Region and first team All-America by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Previous Honda Award winners for softball include UCLA's Lisa Fernandez (1991-93), who was named Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year in 1993, and last year's recipient, Courtney Blades of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Finch, along with award winners in eleven other sports, is automatically nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year honors. The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate balloting involving all NCAA institutions. The announcement of the winner and presentation of the Honda-Brocerick Cup will be made at the 25th annual Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year banquet, June 11 at Salt Lake City, Utah, site of the 2001 National Associaton of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Convention.