Svea Boker from the University of Connecticut, Erin Matson of the University of North Carolina, University of Louisville’s Mercedes Pastor and Clara Roth from Princeton University are the four finalists for the Class of 2020 Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey 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 44 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2020 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 22, 2020, in downtown Los, Angeles.
The nominees were chosen by a panel of coaches representing the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). The Honda Sport award winner for field hockey will be announced next week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Boker, a senior forward from Bremen, Germany, was named the 2019 Big East and NFHCA Mideast Region Player of the Year en route to NFHCA first-team All-America honors. She led her team to its eighth straight conference championship title after being named the 2019 Big East Tournament MVP. She finishes her career at UConn ranked third in assists (55), fifth in points (163) and eighth in goals (55).
Matson led her team to its second straight NCAA National Championship title and was named the 2019 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. The sophomore forward from Chadds Ford, Pa., is a two-time ACC Offensive Player of the Year after winning as a freshman and led the nation in goals per game (1.65) and points per game (4.05). She finished the season with 33 goals, 15 assists and 81 points and was a first-team All-American for the second straight season.
Pastor, a junior midfielder hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a 2019 NFHCA first-team All-American after earning second-team honors last season. She scored a career-high nine goals and added four assists from the midfield and ranked second on the team with 22 points. She is a two-time All-ACC and NFHCA All-West Region first-team honoree.
Roth is a 2019 NFHCA first-team All-American and was the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region Player of the Year. The junior forward from Schwetzingen, Germany, led her team to the 2019 National Championship title game finishing runner-up. She led the Ivy League in goals (0.82) and points (2.14) per game and led her team with career highs in goals (16) and points (43).
Honda Sport Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year and all Honda Sport Award winners become a finalist for the prestigious 2020 Honda Cup award presented in June.
The CWSA, celebrating its 44th year, has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their 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.
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/.