Sarah DeVries, a senior middle hitter from Calvin College, was named a DIII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Volleyball for the second straight season as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
DeVries is again designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DIII 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 44th year.
“To be nominated as a finalist for the Division III Honda Athlete of the Year Award is a incredible honor and very humbling, “ said DeVries. “I owe a lot to my coaches, my teammates and my family. The memories and experiences that I have had over the last four years are ones that I will never forget. I would not have had those memories without the amazing support system that I have had. I am truly grateful for that support."
DeVries was named the 2019 Team Snap/AVCA Division III National Player of the Year last month, receiving the award for the second-consecutive season. She is the fifth individual to be named National Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. A three-time AVCA All-American, she was named the 2019 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Most Valuable Player in November.
The senior from Grand Rapids, Mich., averaged 4.39 kills per set this season, with a .413 attack percentage. She also contributed 4.91 assists per set, 2.09 digs per set and 1.17 blocks per set. She ranked in the top-20 in Division III in five different statistical categories this season, including third in points per set (5.43 PPS), sixth in the hitting percentage and ninth in kills per set.
Off the court, she holds a 3.82 cumulative GPA at Calvin and was most recently named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for DIII volleyball. She is a two-time DIII Academic All-America honoree.
“I am very proud of the work Sarah has put in on and off the court,” stated Calvin head women’s volleyball coach Dr. Amber Warners. “Sarah is one of the most competitive people I have ever coached and she is gifted at so many things on the court. I'm proud of her and how far she has come as a leader over the past four years. An an honor like this from Honda is a team award. No one in this sport can earn them without the people around them.”
All Honda Sports nominees from DIII and DII become a finalist for the prestigious 2020 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports on June 22, 2020, 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 44 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 $3.4 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/.