Jenna Holmes, a junior outside hitter from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for volleyball as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Holmes 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 47th year.

“I would like to thank Honda and the CWSA, I feel so honored to be considered,” said Holmes. “I would like to thank my parents for all their support in my volleyball career. Finally, I would like to thank my coaches and teammates, we had an amazing season and I cannot wait to come back stronger in the next one!”

Holmes was most recently named the 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Player of the Year and was named a DIII First-Team All-American after earning a nod on the Second-Team last season. She is the first in program history to earn the Player of the Year honor.

Hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., she led the CMS offense with 348 kills (3.47 per set) and hit .299 on the year. She also finished second on the team with 304 digs (3.27 per set) and contributed 38 blocks and 29 service aces.

She led her team to the NCAA Regional Finals where they fell 3-2, however, Holmes posted double-doubles in all five postseason matches averaging 13.6 kills and 10.8 digs in that span. The team finished with a 30-1 final record, setting a new program mark for winning percentage.

“On behalf of the CMS Volleyball program, we are thrilled that Jenna Holmes is a finalist for the DIII Honda Athlete of the year Award,” head coach Kurt Vlasich said. “Jenna was a huge part of our success this season, and her contributions both on and off the court helped lead CMS Volleyball to the top of the standings nationally.  With her hard work and dedication in mastering her craft, there is not a more deserving student-athlete to be considered for this award. Congratulations to Jenna for being considered, and we look forward to her returning in the same capacity for us next season!”

All Honda Sports nominees from DIII and DII become a finalist for the prestigious 2023 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports Network in June, 2023, 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 47th 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/.