Ryleigh Heck from the University of North Carolina, Rutgers University’s Iris Langejans and teammates Annabel Skubisz and Lauren Wadas of Northwestern University are the four finalists for the Class of 2024 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 48 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 2024 Honda Cup, which will be presented during 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 field hockey finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). The Honda Sport award winner for field hockey will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Heck, a sophomore from Ocean City, N.J., was recently named the 2023 NFHCA DI Player of the Year after helping her team to its 11th national Championship title and earning 2023 NCAA All-Tournament team honors. The forward led the Tar Heels in scoring with 34 points on 13 goals and eight assists and scored the deciding goal in the sudden death penalty shootout in the NCAA title game.
Langejans hails from Almelo, Netherlands, and is a two-time NFHCA All-American after earning First Team honors this season. The redshirt senior plays back and was named the 2023 Big Ten Player of the Year and is a two-time First Team All-Big Ten. She started all 20 games and had one goal and six assists from the backfield. Off the field, she is a member of the 2023 National Collegiate Athlete Honor Society.
Skubisz is a senior goalkeeper from Houston, Texas, and was named a First Team NFHCA All-American after earning 2023 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year honors. She set a program record with 13 shutouts and led the nation in shutouts per game (0.57). The keeper also led the nation in goals against average (.583), save percentage (.849) and win/loss percentage (.913).
Wadas is a two-time NFHCA First Team All-American and the 2023 NFHCA West Region Player of the Year. The midfielder from Annville, Pa., posted a career-high eight goals and added single-season career highs for assists (6) and points (22). She started all 23 games en route to helping her team to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Championship game and a program-record 21 straight wins.
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 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/.