While she didn't come home with the ESPY for Best Female Collegiate Athlete (that honor went to UConn basketball player Maya Moore) Danielle Lawrie nevertheless enjoyed her first ESPYs experience in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The whirlwind trip began Tuesday night with a pre-party where Lawrie hung mostly with Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price. Wednesday morning started with the ESPYs breakfast on the rooftop of the Standard Hotel in downtown L.A. After getting hair and make-up done alongside fellow nominees Natalie Coughlin and Dara Torres along with presenter and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Lawrie got dressed and made her way over to the Nokie Theatre for the Red Carpet walk.
After making her way down the Red Carpet it was into the theatre for the more than 2-hour show hosted by Samuel L. Jackson. There were lots of laughs with Jackson and others and some emotional moments with the presentations of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and the Jimmy Valvano Perseverance Award and concluded with a song from music legend Stevie Wonder.
After the show it was off to the official after party where stars such as Terrell Owens and Mike Tyson made appearances.
Lawrie then caught an early flight Thursday morning to Oklahoma City where she will compete tonight through Monday with Canada in the World Cup of Softball. Canada will face the USA Saturday at 10 a.m. PT on ESPN. All of the USA's games will air live on ESPN so Husky fans will get a chance to see former UW All-American Ashley Charters in the Red, White & Blue.
UPDATE: SeattlePI.com columnist Art Thiel attended the ESPY Awards and wrote this great column on Lawrie and the event. Also, check out this photo gallery from the two-day experience.
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