Gators volunteer coach Katie Ledecky was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year Wednesday. She previously won the award in 2017.
Ledecky was selected by a panel of 40 sport writers and editors from news outlets across the country.
American track star Sydney McLaughlin came in second place. The athletes tied in total points, but Ledecky got the nod based on 10 first-place votes to McLaughlin’s nine, according to AP.
Ledecky won the 800m freestyle by more than 10 seconds and the 1,500m freestyle by more than 12 seconds at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, this summer. She’s held the world record for both events since 2013.
The Florida volunteer coach claimed four gold medals at the 2022 FINA World Championships. She won the 400m free, 800m free, 1500m free and 4X200m free relay. She was the only woman at the event to win multiple competitions.
Ledecky’s recognition at the 2022 Golden Goggles was the eighth time she was named Female Athlete of the Year. She passed Michael Phelps for the most times earning an Athlete of the Year award.
At the 2020 Summer Olympic games in Tokyo, she won gold in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle events and placed second in the 400m freestyle behind Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus.
The 25-year-old Ledecky joined the UF swimming and diving coaching staff in September 2021. She is in her second year with the Gators.
Contact Brandon Hernandez atbhernandez@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @BranH2001.
Brandon Hernandez is currently the enterprise sports writer and sports podcast host for The Independent Alligator. He likes long walks on the sidewalk and watching basketball tape in his off time. You can find most of his work @BranH2001 on X and on The Courtside Podcast on Spotify.
