Ana Dilkes, a senior goalkeeper from the University of Central Missouri, was named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for Soccer as announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Dilkes is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DII Honda Woman 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 42nd year.

“It’s a huge honor to be recognized as a nominee for the Honda Athlete of the Year award because there are so many deserving players that could have received it,” said Dilkes. “I couldn’t have done this without my teammates and coaching staff. This is a very special award and I feel fortunate to have been selected.”

Dilkes, hailing from Wichita, Kan., is a three-time United Soccer Coaches (USC) first-team All-American and was named the MIAA Goalkeeper of the Year four years in a row while also earning first-team All-MIAA each season. She led her team to its first-ever DII National Championship title and became the Division II all-time leader in shutouts with 64 on her career.

This year, she set UCM single-season and MIAA season records in goals allowed (5), wins (26), GAA (0.19), save percentage (.949), shutouts (21) and consecutive shutouts (12).

“Ana has been an amazing student-athlete and leader for our team,” stated head coach Lewis Theobald. “She has made a tremendous impact on the field, on our campus and in the community. She very worthy of being recognized as one of the nation’s elite.”

All Honda Sports nominees from DII and DIII become a finalist for the prestigious 2018 Honda Woman Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports on June 25, 2018, in downtown Los Angeles. The Honda Sports nominees 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 Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 42 years, recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.   Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.1 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.