Catarina Macario, a junior forward from Stanford University, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Soccer as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 44 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. With this honor, Macario becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious Class of 2020 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 22, 2020, in downtown Los Angeles.
Macario was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Mikayla Colohan (Brigham Young), Jessie Fleming (UCLA) and Emily Fox (North Carolina).
"I am incredibly humbled to be recognized alongside such inspirational athletes and it is hard to put into words how appreciative I am of everyone who has supported me throughout my life to make me into the woman I am today, “said Macario. “One of the things I learned from a very young age was that, alone, one cannot succeed. To my family, friends, teammates, coaches, our sports performance coach Brianna Kanz, our athletic trainer Justin Police and the entire Stanford community, thank you! Thank you for pushing me and inspiring me to be a better person and student-athlete each day. Lastly, I want to thank the organizers of the Honda Award for their continued and unconditional support of women’s athletics. The fight for gender equality is just beginning and, together, we can ALL make a difference in the world."
Macario is a two-time MAC Hermann Trophy finalist after winning the award in 2018. The junior forward led her team to the NCAA College Cup Championship title and is a three-time United Soccer Coaches first-team All-American. She is also a three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year having won for Midfielder in 2019, Forward in 2018 and Offensive and Freshman in 2017.
She led the nation in goals (32), assists (23), points (87), game-winning goals (12) and shots (149) and is a three-time member of the College Cup All-Tournament team and a three-time All-Pac-12 first-team honoree.
Off the field, Macario is a United Soccer Coaches first-team Scholar All-American and a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District.
“Catarina is not only one of the best student-athletes I have had the privilege of coaching but a top-notch human being who brings the best out of those around her,” said the Knowles Family Director of Women’s Soccer Paul Ratcliffe. “She has played an important role in two of our national championships and this is yet another piece of recognition that is thoroughly-deserved.”
Honda Sport Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year.
The CWSA, in its 44th 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 $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility
Honda also is committed to making positive contributions to the communities where it does business, conducting socially responsible business practices and promoting diversity in its workforce. From Honda's involvement in STEM education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to its support of pediatric brain tumor research and volunteer efforts by Honda associates, including environmental clean-up activities, Honda believes in giving back to the communities where its associates live and work. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.