Mia Klammer, a junior forward from The College of Saint Rose, was named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Soccer as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
Klammer is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DII 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 am truly honored and grateful to be nominated for the Honda Athlete of the Year representing Women's Soccer for Division II. I want to express my deepest appreciation to everyone involved in the nomination process. It is a privilege to be considered alongside such incredible athletes. I would like to thank my teammates and amazing coaching staff for helping to push me to be the best player I can be, this would not be possible without any of these remarkable people. It has been a tremendous privilege and
experience to represent Saint Rose and the Northeast-10 Conference at the national level” said Klammer.
Klammer, a junior from Mahopac, N.Y., was recently named the DII United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Year and was voted the DII Conference Commissioners Association Ron Lenz National Player of the Year. She also earned her second straight nod to the United Soccer Coaches All-America First Team after being named Third Team All-America her freshman year. In addition, Mia was named the DII United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America National Player of the Year.
The forward led Division II with 53 points this fall and topped the east region with 18 goals and 17 assists. Her 17 assists also led the Division II. She helped the Golden Knights to a historic unbeaten record of 20-0-2.
After a dominating performance in conference play, Klammer was named the Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference Player of Year and was named First Team All-NE10 for the third straight season. She led her team to its fourth consecutive NE10 Championship title and was named the NE10 Tournament Most Valuable Player for her efforts.
“Mia is an exceptional player who has earned both the United Soccer Coaches DII National Player of the Year as well as the DII Conference Commissioners Association Ron Lenz National Player of the Year,” stated head coach Laurie Darling Gutheil.
“She is a gifted goal scorer and play maker. Mia combines a rare level of athleticism and technical ability with a brilliant understanding of the game and passion to win. She is extremely unselfish and creates goal scoring opportunities for her teammates just as well as she finishes scoring chances herself. Mia is also an outstanding leader who works incredibly hard to be her best on and off the field. She contributes to our team success every day. One of her greatest role models from the United States Women's National Team was Abby Wambach and anyone who has watched Mia play in person can certainly see the striking similarities and how Mia plays a lot like Abby Wambach did. Mia has been a team captain since her sophomore year, and she leads by example. Mia is also an excellent student. Her combination of outstanding performances on the soccer field and in the classroom has been recognized with her being named the United Soccer Coaches DII Scholar All America Player of the Year in December of 2023. Mia’s selection as the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Soccer is extremely well deserved. Mia is an outstanding candidate for the prestigious D-II Honda Athlete of the Year Award. She is the quintessential student-athlete who competes with a passion and love for the game and she is a pleasure to coach. We are very proud of her and excited that she is representing all of NCAA DII women’s soccer as one of 11 finalists for NCAA DII Honda Athlete of the Year.”
All Honda Sports nominees from DII and DIII become a finalist for the prestigious 2024 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in 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 DII and DIII 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/.