Kansas Athletics Student-Athletes, Staff Honored as University Women of Distinction

Clockwise from top left: Katie Martincich, Andrea Hudy, Danielle McCray, Val Chapple.

Aug. 31, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Four KU student-athletes and Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance Andrea Hudy are included on the University of Kansas’ 2009 “KU Women of Distinction” calendar.

The calendar is an annual project, sponsored by the KU Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center, that promotes the accomplishments and achievements of KU women students, faculty, staff and alumnae. The women were selected by a campus-wide committee from nominations to the women’s resource center.

The calendar features Hudy, women’s basketball All-American Danielle McCray, Lauren Bonds (cross country, track and field), Val Chapple (softball) and Katie Martincich (volleyball).

“To be included among such a strong group of women is quite an honor,” Hudy said. “I am proud to be part of such a significant project that recognizes the achievements of past and present KU women.”

Hudy oversees the Anderson Strength and Conditioning Complex for all KU sports except football. She has worked with seven Jayhawks who have been drafted into the NBA, and in her 15-year career Hudy has been part of nine national championship teams — eight at the University of Connecticut and one at Kansas.

Bonds is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 First-Team selection and was named to the 2008-09 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team. During the 2008 cross country season, Bonds became only the second woman in school history to earn All-Big 12 First-Team honors for her 12^th place finish at the Big 12 Championships. She also broke two school records during the 2009 indoor track season – in the mile and 1,000 meters.

Chapple, who graduated last year, was a four-year letter winner and three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection. She was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team twice in her career. Chapple started at third base for the Jayhawks all four years. She graduated with a 4.0 cumulative GPA in secondary physics education.

Martincich, a three-year letter winner, is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 First-Team selection. Most notably, the senior was named the 2007-08 Female Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year, an award given annually to student-athletes who displays an extraordinary degree of sportsmanship and/or community service during the academic year. During her four years on campus, the Jayhawks’ setter has been involved in many KU student-athletes’ community outreach projects, including Habitat for Humanity, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and National Girls and Women in Sports Field Day celebration.

McCray has garnered numerous awards in her three-year career. Most recently, McCray helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia. She was also named to the 2008-09 Honorable Mention All-America team and the WNIT All-Tournament Team. As the Jayhawks’ leading scorer, she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team after the 2008-09 season.