Andi Sullivan, a senior midfielder from Stanford, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Soccer as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) today.
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 42 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. With this honor, Sullivan becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2018 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 27, 2018, in downtown Los Angeles.
Sullivan was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Imani Dorsey (Duke), Jessie Fleming (UCLA) and Savannah McCaskill (South Carolina).
"I am extremely honored to receive the Honda Award and grateful for its continued support of women’s collegiate athletics,” said Sullivan. “I have had truly amazing experiences playing soccer, particularly at Stanford. It has been a blessing to be a part of such an incredible institution made up of so many inspirational people. My family, teammates, athletic trainers, strength coaches, physical therapists, fellow students, professors and the entire Stanford community have always pushed and supported me, and I am beyond appreciative of that. I cannot thank them all enough, and I will never forget the impact they have had on me as a player and a person. I also want to thank all of our fans for their continued support of the program this season and throughout my stay at Stanford."
A native of Lorton, Va., Sullivan is at two-time MAC Hermann Trophy finalist and led Stanford to the 2017 National Championship title. The 2017 Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year was also named the Senior CLASS Award winner and is a three-time USC All-American. In addition, the senior midfielder is a four-time All-Pac-12 and All-Pacific Region first-team selection and a member of the U.S. National Team with seven caps.
The three-year captain posted 20 career goals, 19 assists and eight game-winning goals at Stanford. She capped her career with a goal in the Cardinal’s 3-2 win over UCLA in the 2017 College Cup. After pacing the team in goals (11) and points (29) in 2016, this season she took a deeper role as the leader on the pitch. She controlled the tempo of play, was interchangeable with any of Stanford's four defenders, broke up play with her tackling ability, accurately delivered set pieces and was a threat to make powerful runs into the box.
“It has been a privilege to coach Andi for four seasons,” Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe said. “She is one of the best leaders and most competitive student-athletes we have ever had at Stanford. She strives for excellence in everything she does, and this award is a testament to her hard work and determination.”
Honda Sport Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year.
The CWSA, in its 42nd year, honors the nation’s top NCAA women athletes recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.1 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.