Serena Williams has been named The Associated Press' 2013 Female Athlete of the Year as voted by various news organizations.

According to ESPN, the distinction marks the third time Williams has won the award overall, the last time coming in 2009. In joining Chris Evert and Babe Didrikson as AP's only two-time female winners, Williams earned $12 million in prize money and posted an astonishing 78-4 overall record.

Along the way, she bagged 11 titles and notched a 34-match winning streak. With her French Open and U.S. Open championships, Williams also raised her Grand Slam singles victory total to 17. Williams also spent the last 11 months of the year cemented as the world's top-ranked female player.

"Whenever I lose, I get more determined, and it gives me something more to work toward," Williams "I don't get complacent, and I realize I need to work harder and I need to do better and I want to do better - or I wouldn't keep playing this game."

In results announced in Wednesday, ESPN reports Williams received 55 of 96 votes, easily outpacing Brittney Griner, the two-time AP Player of the Year in college basketball and the No. 1 overall pick in April's WNBA draft who finished second with 14 votes.