Illinois Year in Review: Female athlete of the year Olivia Howell
Jul. 23—Olivia Howell had company when she was just a two-time winner of The News-Gazette's Illinois Female Athlete of the Year.
Jordyn Poulter, Vanessa DiBernardo and Angela Bizzarri also claimed the honor twice. But Howell now stands alone as a three-time winner after she won her first national title as the NCAA indoor mile champion and tacked on two more All-American honors to an already noteworthy career.
Now-former Illinois coach Sarah Haveman — responsible for the Illini's distance runners and cross-country team — had a front-row seat to all Howell accomplished this year. That the Illini runner had even more success wasn't exactly a surprise.
"What you don't really make note of in our sport is what years of consistency does for you," said Haveman, who left Illinois for Texas this month. "Olivia is so consistent with her work, how she works, the kind of work she puts in and how she recovers. This year showed what that all means."
The highlight of Howell's season came March 11 in Albuquerque, N.M. Howell didn't just win the NCAA indoor mile with a time of 4 minutes, 34 seconds. The Solon, Ohio, native also broke the Albuquerque Convention Center facility record that was set by three-time Olympian Shannon Rowbury in 2010.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say I really had a feeling that she was going to win that race," Haveman said. "I think she had that same feeling. Just the work she was able to do. Some of the sessions she was putting in from a technical standpoint were showing she was capable of a big-time performance."
Howell likely won't get a shot at a fourth female athlete of the year honor given she entered the transfer portal July 1 as a grad transfer. Odds are she'll still be successful in her final year of eligibility elsewhere.
"I think she's going to continue on in the same progression," Haveman said. "She's just a very special athlete. People want to talk about talent. What's more important is the work she puts behind that talent to be as consistently successful as she is. The work ethic was always there. I think it comes down to her believing what she was capable of."
Scott Richey
Honor Roll: The News-Gazette's Illinois Female Athletes of the Year
Year Athlete Sport
2023 Olivia Howell Track and field
2022 Olivia Howell Track and field
2021 Olivia Howell Track and field
2020 Jacqueline Quade Volleyball
2019 Jordyn Poulter Volleyball
2018 Jordyn Poulter Volleyball
2017 Nicole Evans Softball
2016 Jocelynn Birks Volleyball
2015 Stephanie Richartz Track and field
2014 Jannelle Flaws Soccer
2013 Ashley Spencer Track and field
2012 Vanessa DiBernardo Soccer
2011 Vanessa DiBernardo Soccer
2010 Angela Bizzarri XC/track and field
2009 Angela Bizzarri XC/track and field
2008 Angelena Mexicano Softball
2007 Yvonne Mensah Track and field
2006 Jenna Hall Softball
2005 Tara Hurless Soccer
2004 Lisa Argabright Volleyball
2003 Perdita Felicien Track and field
