Sydney Horn Named Big South Female Athlete of the Year
The Big South Athletic Conference announced the award winner for the 2022-23 Wanda Watkins Female Athlete of the Year, naming High Point University pole vaulter Sydney Horn as this year’s recipient Thursday afternoon. Horn becomes the third straight female student-athlete in HPU history to earn this award, joining Abby Hormes (2021-22) and Abby Bottomley (2020-21).
The trophy case continues to expand for Horn after fulfilling another historical season within the Panthers’ pole vault program. The sky was the limit this season as she recorded seven, first-place titles between indoor and outdoor competition, bringing her career total up to 19. She recorded a new personal best at the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships with a clearance of 4.50m.
On two of the biggest stages in college athletics, Horn was named a first team and second team All-American with her performances at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. After clearing a height of 4.30m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships she finished fifth overall, tagging the program’s best-ever finish at Nationals.
The highly decorated athlete was also named the Big South Field Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive season. She was named the Big South Field Athlete of the Week on five occasions and voted the Most Outstanding Athlete at the Big South Outdoor Championships. Academically Horn was awarded to the CSC Academic All-District and All-America teams for her combined success in the classroom.
Along with making it to the big stage at nationals, Horn went on to compete at the USA Championships in Eugene, Oregon where she finished seventh overall to qualify for the U23 NACAC Championships in Costa Rica.
The Big South Female and Male Athletes of the Year winners are voted on by the league’s Athletics Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and Sports Information Directors. The candidates for the annual award consist of the Players of the Year from each sport, and must be deemed eligible for the honor by their respective school. In March 2000, the Big South Conference Executive Committee voted to create an annual Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year award. The Athlete of the Year awards have been presented annually since the 1999-00 season, with the exception of the 2019-20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ms Jung So-min is an Author from south Korea for Lakkars Magazine she is the Head of East Asia.
