Mary Stoiana, a junior from Texas A&M University, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Tennis 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 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 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.
Stoiana was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Alexa Noel (Miami), Amelia Rajecki (NC State) and Dasha Vidmanova (Georgia).
“I am so grateful to have received the Honda award for tennis,” stated Stoiana. “Being recognized alongside some of the nation’s best female athletes is an honor to me and attests to the hard work I have put forth all year long. This year was a great experience, and it ended in a phenomenal way which speaks volumes to the type of program Texas A&M is and embodies, as well as the support I am constantly provided. I am always inspired to continue representing the university in the best way I can and I am humbled to earn this honor.”
Stoiana, hailing from Southbury, Conn., is a two-time Honda Award finalist and a two-time SEC Player of the Year becoming the first player in program history to win the SEC Player of the Year honor and then win it twice. She is a three-time All-SEC performer and led her team to its first NCAA Championship team title at the 2024 NCAA Tennis Championships.
The junior finished the season ranked No. 1 in the ITA in singles and earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championship. She also finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in doubles.
Overall, she posted a 38-4 record in singles for the highest winning percentage among all ranked NCAA singles players (90.5%). It was the fourth-highest win total in single-season program history and included 26 wins versus ranked opponents this season.
In conference play, she was 11-1 in SEC singles and 6-1 in doubles. She earned the 12th SEC weekly honor of her career this season, following her conference record seven Player of the Week awards last year.
Off the court, she is a CSC Academic Third Team All-American and a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree.
“I am so proud of Mary and all of her accomplishments this season,” said head coach Mark Weaver. “No one is more deserving of this honor and I could not be any happier for her and this tremendous accolade that she has received.”
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/.