Solo vs Sole
Forgetting my age for a moment, if someone offered me the chance to do what TCT has done I would jump at the chance with little hesitation. To have someone else to do all the planning, to have a more experienced pilot with me to discuss every one of the many decisions one makes during a flight and confirm that I am indeed landing where I think I am, would probably make it a great experience. If successful, it wouldn't occur to me that it might impress anyone else, let alone win awards. I would probably spin a yarn or two to impress my friends though.
However, if I was offered the chance to do the same thing solo, even with a back up plane, I would certainly turn it down. It would be beyond my capabilities and fright threshold, as it appears to have been beyond hers.
There is a massive difference between "sole" and "solo". For this reason I think that the LAA should withdraw their award.