Kassie Parker, a graduate student from Loras College, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Cross Country for the second consecutive year as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Parker is once again 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 am honored to be a finalist for the second time,” stated Parker. “I have been motivated by my teammates, friends, family, and coaches to push myself to the highest level. When I first came to Loras, I had the goals of being successful, but I never grasped how much I would accomplish. Every time I accomplish one task, I’m looking forward to the next goal as if it was another day. It is nice to see the day-to-day progress come together when it comes to meet days such as Nationals.”

Parker, hailing from Guttenberg, Iowa, captured her second consecutive NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championship individual title and was recently named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Female Athlete of the Year for the second season in a row.

For the 2022 season, she competed in seven races for the Duhawks and captured first place in six. Over the last two seasons, she has won 12 of the 14 races she has competed in. The grad student broke her own school records this season in the 5,000-meter run (17:02.01) and the 6,000-meter run (20:00.1).

She ends her cross country career as a two-time national champion, a three-time Midwest region champion, and a two-time American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) champion, among a host of other accolades during her illustrious career.

Off the course, she was the USTFCCCA National Scholar Athlete of the Year last year and has earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as well as All-District honors twice.

“Kassie is a once in a lifetime type of athlete that you feel very blessed to have as a coach,” said head coach Bob Schultz. “Not only is she an extremely hard worker and role model for her teammates, she lives the student-athlete lifestyle 24/7.  She does all the little things meticulously well and never takes short cuts.  What she has done for the Loras College cross country and track programs is immeasurable.”

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/.