Danielle Sim, a senior defender from Williams College, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for Soccer as announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
Sim is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DIII Honda Woman Athlete of the Year. This will be voted on at the end of the academic year by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of THE CWSA program, now in its 42nd year.
“It's such an honor to be selected for this award,“ said Sim. “Soccer has always been an integral part of my life, and the challenges and triumphs of the sport have shaped me into the person I am today. I'm so grateful to have played soccer at Williams College, where I've met some amazing teammates, coaches, faculty and staff who have supported me throughout my time here. I truly cannot thank them enough for their guidance and wisdom. I also want to thank Honda for their dedicated support of women's collegiate athletics and inspiring young women to achieve excellence in sports."
Sim, hailing from Bel Air, Md., led her team to the 2017 DIII National Championship title, her second in three seasons, and was named a first-team United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-American. She became the first defender to ever receive the NESCAC Player of the Year honor after being named a two-time first-team All-NESCAC performer and went on to earn 2017 NCAA All-Tournament team honors.
Off the pitch, she earned Academic All-NESCAC honors for the third year in a row and this season she was named to the USC Scholar All-American Team.
The defender anchored a backfield that allowed only eight goals in 24 games this season and helped team to a school record in single season wins (22). A tri-captain, she is part of the first class at Williams to win 80+ games in a four-year career.
“Dani is an incredible student, athlete, community member and teammate,” stated Williams soccer head coach Michelyne Pinard. “Her evolution over four years as a student-athlete epitomizes Division III athletics because her process was all about stretching and growing in every realm. She got every ounce out of herself athletically and academically. I am very proud of her and excited to see her invest the same energy she did at Williams into her medical school career and beyond. If she is as good a doctor as she was a student-athlete, and I believe she will be, then her patients will be in good hands.”
All Honda Sports nominees from DIII and DII become a finalist for the prestigious 2018 Honda Woman Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports on June 25, 2018, in downtown Los Angeles. The Honda Sports nominees are recognized in 11 DIII and DII NCAA-sanctioned sports; cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field.
THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 42 years, 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.