Hello and welcome to the 2016 CRFF-ies! If you missed the introduction to the ceremonies, take a look here to get caught up to speed. Every category in the series was voted on by the CRFF staff through a points system.

In the third category of an eight-part series, the CRFF staff voted in the category of Female Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 season. There were plenty of worthy athletes who all had a case to take home the top spot in this category. Here are the candidates:

• Vanessa Shippy - Shippy had an outstanding sophomore season for the Cowgirl Softball team. She led the Big 12 in batting average (.425), runs scored (58), walks (43) and on base percentage (.543). The .543 on-base percentage is good for an Oklahoma State school record. Shippy started every game in the 2016 season, her second straight season without missing a game.
• Brittney Martin - Martin is one of the great four year players in OSU Women’s Basketball history. She took home Big 12 Player of the Year, Co-Defensive Player of the year, and third team Associated Press All-American honors in 2016. In her senior season, she started every one of the 30 games in the season. Martin shot 50 percent from the field on 516 shots. She was drafted by the San Antonio Stars in the 2016 WNBA Draft, but retired from the game altogether shortly after being drafted.
• Katarina Adamovic - Adamovic was the heart and soul of that magical run that took the Women’s Tennis team to the brink of a national championship. Ultimately, the team fell short, but it wasn’t because of any one person. Adamovic advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament Singles Championship. She knocked off six opponents ranked in the Top 25 during the tournament run. Adamovic was named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American after the 2016 season.

Those are your candidates for the Female Athlete of the Year category. The results are in, and the winner is ...

Brittney Martin!

Martin showed incredible toughness and determination throughout her career at Oklahoma State. Her decision to retire was saddening for fans, but her decision why was admirable. In an interview with the O’Colly, Martin said, “I think there comes a time when you just want to move on and you’re done playing basketball. I think my time came a little early and I think people don’t understand because they’re not in my shoes.”

That kind of maturity doesn’t appear in every college student. For her accomplishments as an athlete, and her maturity as a human, Brittney Martin takes home the CRFF-ie.

Check back on Monday for the Coach of the Year category.