🏊♀️ Kate Steward Named 2021-22 Marlene Mawson Exemplary Student-Athlete Award Recipient
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas swimming & diving senior Kate Steward has been named the recipient of the 2021-22 Marlene Mawson Exemplary Woman Student-Athlete Award, because of her exemplary work in the pool, the classroom and the community.
“Kate is someone who continuously gets better in the pool, in the classroom and in being a leader,” Head Coach Clark Campbell said. “Kate’s a complete student-athlete and her accolades speak for themselves. She has accomplished a lot in a very short time and has a very bright future ahead of her.”
The award is presented by Kansas Athletics to one senior female student-athlete each year who plays an integral role on her respective team and demonstrates strong character and leadership qualities, while also being a strong competitor in the classroom and in the field of play.
“It’s extremely humbling, because I am so inspired by all of the women that I compete with and get to work with at KU,” Steward said. “If this means I can make an impact for others, like they have me, that just means so much to me.”
Steward is the third-straight KU swimming & diving student-athlete to win the award, joining Jenny Nusbaum (2019-20) and Lauryn Parrish (2020-21). Steward, Parrish and Nusbaum are the first three swimming & diving student-athletes to win the award.
Steward, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, has been a key contributor for the KU swimming & diving team, holding school records in five events. In the last two years, Steward has been named a CSCAA All-America Honorable Mention, while winning three individual Big 12 Championships over the course of her career. This past summer, Steward finished fifth in the 200 breaststroke at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Academically, Steward is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District first team member. Steward will graduate in May 2022 with a degree in Elementary Education, while holding a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Steward is also involved in community service activities including KU Leads, the Boys and Girls club, Grace Church and is a teaching assistant in elementary education.
Dr. Mawson was appointed to a full-time physical education faculty position with the added responsibility of initiating an intercollegiate women’s sports program in 1968. In addition to directing the program, Dr. Mawson coached women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, and field hockey during her first three years at KU. For 22 years, Dr. Mawson was a professor and administrator at the University of Kansas.
