Erin Matson, a junior forward from the University of North Carolina, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Field Hockey for the second year in a row as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 45 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 2021 Honda Cup, which will be presented on a telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 28th at 9 pm ET.
Matson was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Sophie Hamilton (UConn), Megan Schneider (Louisville) and Corrine Zanolli (Stanford).
“I am extremely honored and humbled to receive the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey again this year,” said Matson. “It means the world to me to be selected especially after a year where everyone had to overcome so many unique challenges. I couldn’t be more thankful for my coaches and UNC field hockey sisters. We play for Carolina, our beautiful university, our incredible athletics program and coaching staff, the sport of field hockey, and each other. We grew together, laughed together, and were able to win another national championship for UNC. With the Honda Award being more than an athletic award, it also makes me so proud to be able to represent Carolina and my family in winning again.”
A junior forward from Chadds Ford, Pa., Matson was the Class of 2020 Honda Sport Award winner for field hockey and led the Tarheels to their third-straight NCAA Championship title. She is the two-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and three-time ACC Offensive Player of the Year.
She led the led the nation in goals per game (1.45) and ranked second in points per game (3.35) and has lost just one game in three years as a collegiate player. Through just three years and 11 tournament games, she now ranks second on the all-time list of goals in tournament play as a Tar Heel. She finished 2021 with 29 goals, nine assists and 67 points.
“I congratulate Erin on once again earning this award and I want to be clear in saying that she has in no way rested on her laurels in the past year,” said head coach Karen Shelton. “She continues to be one of the hardest workers on our team and she’s always working to get better. She’s very talented, but she also has such competitive fire and a drive to improve. And she’s a great teammate – she scores a lot but she’s also our best passer, making those around her better, and she’s one of our most trusted voices in the locker room. Erin is now the second player in our program’s history to win this award twice, and we’re so proud of her and thrilled she’s a Tar Heel.”
The CWSA, celebrating its 45th anniversary 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 partnership 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
For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. Honda’s mission is to create products and services that improve the lives of people while conducting its business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Accordingly, Honda believes in helping people reach their life’s potential through its focus on improving children’s health, inspiring underrepresented students, preserving the environment for future generations, creating safety for everyone, and strengthening our communities. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.