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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a name="OLE_LINK5"></a><a name="OLE_LINK6"></a><a name="OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">BAYLOR
ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 24, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><a name="OLE_LINK7"></a><a name="OLE_LINK8"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK7"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Baylor
WBB’s Richards Named Honda Inspiration Award Finalist<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></a></span></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK7"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK8"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Richards’ recovery from spinal cord draws attention from Collegiate
Women’s Sports Awards<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">For more information contact: Kyle Robarts, 254-405-9492,
</span></span></span></span><a href="mailto:Kyle_Robarts@baylor.edu"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Kyle_Robarts@baylor.edu</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Richards head shot:
</span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ve65a3ms8np3r4e/BU_WBB_Richards_DiDI_20-21.JPG?dl=0"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">https://www.dropbox.com/s/ve65a3ms8np3r4e/BU_WBB_Richards_DiDI_20-21.JPG?dl=0</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><a name="OLE_LINK9"></a><a name="OLE_LINK10"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">WACO,
Texas</span></b></span></a></span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK10"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
– </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Former Baylor standout guard DiDi Richards
was selected among three finalists for the Honda Inspiration Award. The award is given out by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards and the winner will be announced on the CBS Sports Network, June 22 at 7 p.m.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Richards suffered a SCIWORA (Spinal Cord Injury Without Radioactive
Abnormality) in October prior to the 2020-21 season, causing temporary paralysis. Her amazing recovery allowed her back on the floor just 38 days later and she debuted in the second game of the season for Baylor at South Florida, Dec. 1.<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Richards was joined by Georgia Tech’s
Camryn Hidalgo and Texas’ Asija O’Neil. Hidalgo was a diver for the GTU swimming and diving program and overcame a severe head injury before resuming her season. O’Neal was a middle blocker for the Longhorns’ volleyball program and overcame open heart surgery
to re-join the team in 2020-21.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">An Inspiration Award winner has been
selected annually for the past 33 years. The Honda Inspiration Award is given to a deserving female student-athlete in Division I, II or III who has experienced extraordinary physical and/or emotional adversity, injury and/or illness, or experienced extraordinary
personal sacrifice during her college enrollment as a student-athlete and yet returns to athletic success.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"></span></span></span><a href="http://www.BaylorBears.com"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">www.BaylorBears.com</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK5"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK6"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">___________________________________</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#006132">Kyle Robarts</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#006132"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">| Associate Director, Athletics Communications (WBB, WTEN)</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">O: 254-710-3042 | C: 254-405-9492</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D750B7.70F439D0"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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