For the second year in a row, Taylor Reiss, a senior outside hitter, from Southwest Minnesota State, was named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Volleyball as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
Reiss is once again designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DII Honda 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 43rd year.
“It is humbling and exciting to be selected as a finalist for this prestigious Honda DII Athlete of the Year award,“ said Reiss. “Volleyball is the ultimate team sport and I would not be in this position without my teammates and coaches for their tremendous impact on my career. I cannot thank them all enough because they were instrumental in making me the person and play I am today."
Along with her back-to-back DII Honda finalist honors, Reiss was also named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) DII National Player of the Year for the second straight season and was tabbed this year’s Conference Commissioner’s Association (CCA) Player of the Year. A three-time AVCA and CCA first-team All-American, she was also named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Player of the Year for the third season in a row becoming the first player in conference history to three-peat.
Reiss finished the season ranked first in Division II in kills (664), points per set (6.42) and kills per set (5.72), while ranking second in attacks per set (14.45) and third in total attacks with 1,676. She finished her four-year career at SMSU ranking second in team history in kills (2,146), second in kills per set (4.94), second in attempts (5,293), second in points (2,431.5) and ninth in hitting percentage (.309).
“What a significant honor for Honda to recognize Taylor Reiss as a finalist for the prestigious DII Honda Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row,” stated head coach Terry Culhane. “Taylor’s career speaks for itself and is one of a few who have been selected AVCA National Player of the Year two years in a row as well as a three-year winner of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference player of the year.”
All Honda Sports nominees from DII and DIII become a finalist for the prestigious 2018 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports on June 24, 2019, in downtown Los Angeles. The Honda Sports nominees are recognized in 11 DII and DIII 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 43 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.
About Honda
Honda seeks to be a company that society wants to exist, creating products and technologies that improve the lives of people while minimizing the environmental impacts of its products and business operations to ensure a sustainable future.
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/