PRINCETON’S KATIE REINPRECHT RECEIVES 2012-13 HONDA SPORTS AWARD FOR FIELD HOCKEY

LOS ANGELES, California  (December 3, 2012) --- After taking last year off from Princeton University to train with the U.S. Olympic Field Hockey Team, 4-time All American midfielder, Katie Reinprecht (North Wales, PA), led the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA Field Hockey National Championship and has received the Honda Sports Award for Field Hockey.

“I am extremely honored to be recognized amongst such an elite group of female athletes.  It has been a privilege to represent Princeton University and while accepting this honor as a personal accolade, I full-heartedly acknowledge my incredible teammates, family, and coaching staff for, undoubtedly, shaping me into the person and athlete I am today,” said Reinprecht.

The CWSA presents the Honda Sports Award annually to top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports.  With this honor, Reinprecht becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2013 Honda Cup. Reinprecht was chosen by a vote of coaches from 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Chelsea Armstrong (Northwestern University), Megan Frazer (Univ. of Maryland, 2011 Honda Sport Award Winner), and Paige Selenski (Univ. of Virginia). 

 “I couldn’t be more pleased for Katie, personally, the field hockey team and the athletics department.  She is a credit to her family, to her team and to this University,” said Gary Walters, Princton’s Ford Family Director of Athletics.

Reinprecht led Princeton to the 2012 NCAA Championship title in a 3-2 hard-fought victory over top-ranked North Carolina.  Princeton ended its championship season with a 21-1 overall record, 7-0 in Ivy League play.  For her efforts, Reinprecht was named unanimously the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, and the NFHCA Div. I National Player of the Year.  She ended her senior season with a team-best 19 assists and scored 9 goals for 37 points, averaging 0.90 assists per game, ranking second in the nation.  She ends her collegiate career ranked second in career assists with 49, and fourth in career points with 155.

“Katie is an Olympian, a four-time All-America and a National Champion.  As is obvious from her accomplishments, she has all the qualities of an exemplary athlete:  speed, quickness, endurance, power and grace,” said Princeton Head Coach, Kristen Holmes-Winn.

Reinprecht is a sociology major who played with her 2 sisters, Sarah and Julia, throughout her collegiate career.   In 2011, Katie and Julia both trained full time with the U.S. National Field Hockey Team in preparation for the 2012 London Olympics.  The U.S. team won the 2011 Pan American Games and placed 12th in the Olympics.

The Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 37 years, recognizing not only superior athletic skills, but also leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.   Honda has been a sponsor of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards for the past 27 years.  Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $2.7 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.  Previous Honda Cup winners include Brittney Griner, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mia Hamm, Lisa Fernandez, Misty May-Treanor, Courtney Kupets, Maya Moore, and Candace Parker.