DECORAH, IOWA . . . The American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has announced that Luther College senior pitcher Kim Lambert was named the NCAA Division III Honda Sports Award Winner for Softball.

Lambert, a 2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) first-team All-American, was judged the very best in her sport over all her peers in her division. She was nominated for this distinguished honor by the NFCA.

Lambert helped lead Luther to a school record 42-7 and its 11th appearance and third in the past four years in the NCAA national tournament. After capturing the title of the Whitewater Regional, Luther made its fourth appearance in the NCAA III National Softball Finals, finishing in a tie for fifth place.

She completed the 2010 campaign with a record of 21-5 en route to an ERA of 1.10. She not only set the single season school records for wins, but also for strikeouts with 202. She also set the Luther career strike out record with 489.

To honor her nomination, The American Honda Motor Co., Inc. will donate $1,000 to the Luther College women's general athletic fund.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has sponsored the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program for 25 consecutive years. Honda has donated over $2 million in grants and scholarships to universities over the course of the program.

Lambert is the daughter of Doug and Laura Lambert of Coal Valley, Ill.

Lambert is the first Iowa Conference athlete to receive a Honda Sports Award since the 2004-05 academic year when Wartburg's Missy Buttry received the award for cross country. Buttry later received the Honda Award as the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year in NCAA Division III.

Luther College is a four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and is located in Decorah, Iowa. The Norse compete in 10 men's and nine women's intercollegiate sports.

As a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) since 1922, the men have won 150 conference championships. In 1982 the IIAC expanded its championship sponsorship to include women's sports. During this time span, the women have won 59 team titles. Combined, Luther is the first school in the Iowa Conference to capture 209 league titles.

More information on Luther College athletics can be found on the athletic web site at http://sports.luther.edu.