Emily Richards, a senior from Ohio Northern, was named the 2018 DIII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for Track & Field as announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Richards is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DIII 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.

"I am excited to represent track and field on such a prestigious award," Richards said. "It is truly an honor to be selected, especially when you consider all of the worthy candidates there are in division III track and field."

Richards was named the DIII USTFCCCA National Outdoor Athlete of the Year after capturing the 800 and 1500 meter runs at the DIII NCAA Outdoor National Championship. She also won both at the Indoor National Championship becoming the first athlete to sweep events since former DIII Honda Athlete of the Year Christy Cazzola in 2014. Her 800 meter run broke the meet and stadium records.

The senior from Delaware, Ohio, is a 13-time USTFCCCA All-American and a nine-time NCAA Champion. Four times she was named the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Distance Runner of the Year and she holds 13 OAC records and 19 OAC Championships.

Off the track, she is the reigning USTFCCA All-Academic Scholar Athlete of the Year and CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American.

“​We are so proud of Emily and what she has accomplished during her four years at Ohio Northern University,” said ONU head coach Jason Maus. “She has been outstanding both on the track and in the classroom. Being nominated for this prestigious award is a great tribute to her work ethic and dedication to be the best at everything she does."

All Honda Sports nominees from DIII and DII 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 DIII and DII 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.