University of Southern California sprinter Angela Williams took the fast track to winning the Honda-Broderick Cup.

The only male or female to win four consecutive NCAA championships in the 100-meter dash, Williams received the award as the nation's outstanding collegiate woman athlete June 17 during the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) convention.

Also honored were track and field athlete Nicole Duncan of California State University, Los Angeles, as the Division II athlete of the year, and lacrosse player Julia Bergofsky of Middlebury College as the Division III athlete of the year.

In addition, Western Michigan basketball player Kristin Koetsier, who came back from two different life-threatening blood disorders and a career-threatening knee injury to become one of the top players ever at Western Michigan and in the Mid-American Conference, won the Inspiration Award.

Williams won over 11 other candidates, who were voted best in their sports this season: Sue Bird, basketball, University of Connecticut; Tara Chaplin, cross country, University of Arizona; Autumn Welsh, field hockey, University of Maryland, College Park; Virada Nirapathpongporn, golf, Duke University; Andree Pickens, gymnastics, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; Erin Elbe, lacrosse, Georgetown University; Jennie Finch, softball, Arizona; Aly Wagner, soccer, Santa Clara University; Natalie Coughlin, swimming and diving, University of California, Berkeley; Bea Bielik, tennis, Wake Forest University; and Logan Tom, volleyball, Stanford University.

Past winners include Mia Hamm, Jackie Joyner, Nancy Lieberman, Rebecca Lobo, Ann Meyers and Cheryl Miller. Jackie Stiles, who set women's basketball scoring records while playing for Southwest Missouri State University, won the award last year.

The only other track and field competitors to have won the award are Vicki Huber of Villanova University in 1989; Suzy Favor of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1990; and Jackie Joyner of the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1985.

Williams became only the third athlete in the Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field championships' 21-year history to win an event four times. She sprinted to victory in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.29 seconds, edging teammate Natasha Mayers by one-hundredth of a second.

Williams also won the event at the 1999, 2000 and 2001 outdoor championships. She also won the NCAA indoor title in the 60-meter dash, and her time of 11.06 at a regular-season meet was the fastest 100-meter dash by a collegian this year and the third-fastest in the world. Her best time in the event (unaided by wind) was the 11.04 she posted in winning the NCAA title as a freshman.

Williams earlier was named the women's track and field athlete of the year by the U.S. Track Coaches Association.

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.