Liberty University’s Jill Bolton, Brooke DeBerdine from the University of Maryland, Erin Matson of the University of North Carolina and Iowa University’s Maddy Murphy are the four finalists for the Class of 2022 Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) today. 

The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 46 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 2022 Honda Cup which will be presented on a telecast on CBS Sports Network.

The field hockey finalists were selected by a panel of coaches and experts from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). The Honda Sport award winner for field hockey will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.  

Bolton, a senior forward from Souderton, Pa., was recently named the NFHCA National Player of the Year and is a two-time NFHCA First-Team All-American. She led her team to the 2021 NCAA Field Hockey Championship runner-up and first appearance in the title as we all the Flame’s first Big East regular and tournament Championships. She leaves as the program’s all-time leader in goals (61) and points (156).

DeBerdine is a midfielder from Lancaster, Pa., and earned her first NFHCA First-Team All-America honors after being named the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Player of the Year. She was recently named to the NFHCA Senior All-Star game and holds the program record for career starts (104). Off the field, she is a four-time NFHCA National Academic performer and a three-time member of the All-Big Ten Academic team.

Hailing from Chadds Ford, Pa., Matson has been named the Honda Sport Award winner for Field Hockey for the last two seasons and is a three-time finalist. This season, the forward led the nation in goals (27) and points (64) and was named the 2021 Bolster Field Hockey DI National Player of the Year. She finishes her career as the all-time goal leader in ACC history and eighth in NCAA history. 

Murphy is a four-time NFHCA All-American and a four-time All-West Regional First-Team honoree. The forward from Riana, Tasmania, led her team to its first regular season outright Big Ten title since 1999 and earned top seed in the Big Ten Championship. She was named to the NFHCA Senior All-Star game and finished her career ranked 10th in school history in goals (51). 

The CWSA, entering its 46th 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.  

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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 improving children’s health, inspiring underrepresented students, preserving the environment for future generations, creating safety for everyone, and strengthening our communities. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.