Jane Earley, a junior attack player from Middlebury College, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Lacrosse as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Earley is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DIII Honda 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 46th year.

“I feel so grateful to be recognized with this honor,” said Earley. “Being a successful student-athlete at Middlebury is a direct result of the support from my teammates, coaches, athletic trainers, family and friends. They have all created a culture like no other, and I am ever so thankful to be a part of this impressive intellectual and athletic community.”

“Middlebury is a special place where I am pushed in all sorts of ways on the field, in my classes, in my friendships and in other relationships. I cannot thank my teammates and coaches enough for all their wisdom and care in making me, and Middlebury Women’s Lacrosse, stronger. I look forward to the rest of my student-athlete career at Middlebury and to my future, a future that will be forever changed by this incredible experience.”

Earley was most recently named the 2022 DIII Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Player of the Year and the Attack Player of the Year. A two-time IWLCA All-American, she was also named the NESCAC Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference and All-Region honors.

Hailing from North Falmouth, Mass., she led her team to the 2022 NCAA National Championship and a 22-1 record on the year. During her five NCAA Tournament games, she ranked second in the NCAA Tournament record books for a single tournament in goals scored (21) and points (26). During the championship game, Earley tied a career-high mark with six goals and added an assist to lead all players with seven points. She was selected as the 2022 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and garnered a spot on the all-tournament team.

Overall, she ended her season with a pair of school records, scoring 80 goals and accumulating 99 points.

“Jane Earley is a once in a lifetime player to coach,” head coach Kate Livesay said. “When you watch Jane on the field, you understand how lacrosse is supposed to be played. She uniquely combines the grace and beauty of the game with the aggressive, competitive side of the sport. Jane is both humble and hardworking. Despite all her positive contributions on the field, she’ll be the first to point out an area of improvement. She spends endless hours on film and is the first to show up for extra sessions on the field. Jane’s performance in lacrosse is a testament to her work ethic and desire to improve. Jane cares deeply about her teammates and is a leader within our program both on and off the field. I am very proud that she is being honored and recognized for all her accomplishments.”

All Honda Sports nominees from DIII and DII become a finalist for the prestigious 2022 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 27, 2022, in downtown Los Angeles. The Honda Award finalists 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 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.  

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/.