Olivia Foley, a senior from Juniata College, was named the DIII 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.
Foley is 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 48th year.
“I’m extremely honored to be a finalist for the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year,” said Foley. “I want to thank my family, coaches, friends, and teammates because they give me the opportunity to succeed with all their unconditional love and support. I’m lucky to be given the chance to play the sport I've loved since I was a little girl, and this recognizes all the hard work I've put in to get here.”
Foley, hailing from Coldwater, Mich., led her team to its second straight NCAA DIII Volleyball Championship title and was named the Championship Most Outstanding Player after posting her 12th double-double of the season with 32 assists and 13 digs in the match. The setter helped her team to an unblemished 35-0 mark on the year and have won 62 straight matches.
Most recently, Foley was named the 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) DIII Co-Player of the Year becoming the program’s fifth student-athlete to earn Player of the Year honors from the AVCA. The senior was also honored as an AVCA First Team All-American after earning Second Team honors the last two seasons and has landed a spot on the Landmark All-Conference First-Team in all three seasons.
Foley finished her senior season as the NCAA leader in assists per set (11.18) while also leading the Juniata offense to the nation’s best hitting-percentage (.295). For her three-year career, she already ranks 10th in program history in assists with 3198 career tallies.
“Olivia is a tremendous setter but more importantly, she is a tremendous competitor who brings her best when her best is needed,” stated head coach Heather Pavlik. “Her performances throughout her three seasons as a starter for us has been so consistently great but each year she has been at her best during the NCAA tournament. She has now capped off her senior year with the National Player of the Year award and run of back-to-back National Championships. Her grit, work ethic and competitiveness are exactly what every coach wants from their setter. Everyone here at Juniata is excited for her to have this opportunity to be a Honda Award finalist.”
All Honda Sport Award finalists from DIII and DII will vie for the prestigious 2024 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2024, at 7 PM ET, from its new home in New York City.
The Honda Award finalists 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 CWSA, entering its 48th 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 the areas of education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.