The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: News

KUPETS

Go ahead and give Courtney Kupets one more award.

Kupets, the senior Gym Dog who is already the most decorated NCAA gymnast of all-time, was named the Honda Award winner Wednesday as the nation's top college gymnast.

It continues a three-year streak for Georgia gymnastics, as Kupets took the title a first time in 2007 before former teammate Katie Heenan claimed it last season.

"I am humbled and honored to win the Honda Award for the second time, especially since the other finalists are such amazing gymnasts," Kupets said in a release. "I am so happy that I get to share the award with my teammates, my coaches and our fans."

Kupets missed the last half of the 2008 season after tearing her Achilles, but when she has competed she has been spectacular.

In her three years competing at the NCAA championships, Kupets brought home 15 All-American titles (the most possible) and nine individual national championships (the most ever), including four just a few weeks ago. The Athens native is the only gymnast to win a national championship in every event.

All that sparked coach Suzanne Yoculan to claim that "there is no doubt she is the best collegiate gymnast ever."

"She deserves all of the individual awards she has gotten, but she went about her business with humility and she always put the team first," Yoculan said. "She has been a great ambassador for the University of Georgia and for collegiate gymnastics."

This Honda Award, which automatically qualifies Kupets for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award, marks the eighth time a Georgia gymnast has claimed the sport's top honor.

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