Jaravee Boonchant of Duke University, Maria Fassi from the University of Arkansas, Florida State University’s Frida Kinhult and Albane Valenzuela of Stanford University are the four finalists for the Class of 2019 Honda Sport Award for Golf 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 43 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 2019 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2019, in downtown Los, Angeles.

The nominees were chosen by a combination of NCAA Championship finishes and national golf rankings. The Honda Sport Award winner for Golf will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.

Boonchant, a sophomore from Bangkok, Thailand, is a 2019 WGCA First-Team All-American and was named to the WGCA Player of the Year watch list. She helped Duke capture the 2019 NCAA Golf Championship as a team after knocking off the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world in the NCAA title match to lift Duke. She posted a team-best 72.17 stroke average on the season and had seven top 10 finishes on the year.

Fassi, a senior hailing from Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, is the 2019 Ping WGCA Player of the Year as well as the 2019 NCAA Individual medalist. She is a two-time WGCA First-Team All-America, two-time SEC Player of the Year and ranked second in the final Golfweek individual rankings. She posted a 71.18 scoring average on the year and notched six top-five finishes during the season including the SEC Championship individual medalist. She was runner-up at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April.

Kinhult, a freshman from Fiskebäckskil, Sweden, was the 2018-19 Golfstat Cup recipient which is given to the player who has the best scoring average versus par with at least 20 full rounds played during a season. She led Division I with a 70.66 stroke average and was named a WGCA First-Team All-American and the WGCA Freshman of the Year. Her scoring average is the lowest stroke average in FSU history and she netted 20 rounds of even or under par on the year.

Valenzuela, a native of Geneva, Switzerland is a WGCA First-Team All-American honoree and ranked third in final Golfweek individual standings. She posted a sixth-place finish at 2019 NCAA Individual Championship and tied for first at the Pac-12 Championship. The junior is a three-time Pac-12 First-Team honoree and is the top-ranked amateur in Switzerland. She posted five top 10 finishes and eight rounds under par.

Honda Sport Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year and all Honda Sport Award winners become a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Honda Cup award presented in June.

The CWSA, celebrating its 43rd 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 sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.3 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs. 

About Honda

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Honda also is committed to making positive contributions to the communities where it does business, conducting socially responsible business practices and promoting diversity in its workforce. From Honda’s involvement in STEM education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to its support of pediatric brain tumor research and volunteer efforts by Honda associates, including environmental clean-up activities, Honda believes in giving back to the communities where its associates live and work.

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