Swimmer Cristina Teuscher of Columbia University, the NCAA champion in the 400-meter freestyle and 400-meter individual medley, has been named winner of the Honda-Broderick Cup, presented annually to the nation's outstanding collegiate woman athlete.

The award, selected by a national vote involving the more than 1,000 NCAA member schools, was presented during the 35th annual convention of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Teuscher is the fourth swimmer to win the Honda-Broderick Cup, joining Mary T. Meagher of the University of California, Berkeley (1987); Tracy Caulkins of the University of Florida (1982 and 1984); and Jill Sterkel of the University of Texas at Austin (1981).

Teuscher was undefeated in nine meets this season and was the Ivy Group champion in the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys, as well as the 100-meter freestyle, in which she set a school record. She was named outstanding swimmer of the championships for the fourth consecutive year.

The holder of 10 of 14 school individual records and four relay team records, Teuscher never lost an individual race in her four-year college career. She earned a gold medal in the 800-meter relay event of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and is training for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Teuscher won over 11 other candidates who won Honda Awards for being voted as the best in their respective sports for the 1999-00 collegiate year. They are: Jen Adams, University of Maryland, College Park, lacrosse; Courtney Blades, University of Southern Mississippi, softball; Heather Brink, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, gymnastics; Lauren Cacciamani, Pennsylvania State University, volleyball; Jenna Daniels, University of Arizona, golf; Lorrie Fair, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, soccer; Marissa Irvin, Stanford University, tennis; Sally Northcroft, Ball State University, field hockey; Shea Ralph, University of Connecticut, basketball; Keisha Spencer, Louisiana State University, track and field; and Amy Yoder, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, cross country.

Also honored at the banquet with Honda Awards were: basketball players Jayne Even of North Dakota State University, the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year representing Division II schools; and Alia Fischer of Washington University (Missouri), the Division III winner. Distance runner Johanna Olson of Luther College, who twice battled back from a brain tumor to return to intercollegiate competition and earn all-America honors, received the Honda Inspiration Award.

The Honda-Broderick Cup is part of the year-long Honda Awards Program, originated in 1976 to recognize outstanding achievements by collegiate woman athletes. Nominees for Honda Awards excel not only in individual athletics achievements, but also embody the ideals of team contribution, scholastic endeavor, school and community involvement, and those personal characteristics that are reflected in the philosophy of intercollegiate athletics.

The awards program is sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.