Brooke Olson, a graduate student from the University of Minnesota Duluth, was named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Basketball as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Olson is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DII 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 extremely honored to be a finalist for this award. I could not have done it without the support & love from everyone here at UMD - my teammates, coaches, & all staff members,” said Olson. “I’m so proud of all we’ve accomplished this year & I'm honored to be able to represent them!”

Olson was recently named the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Player of the Year, the first in program history, and finished her career as a four-time WBCA First Team All-American.

The forward from Rice Lake, Wisc., led the Bulldogs to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA title game and a runner-up finish. Through the tournament, she averaged an impressive 28.5 ppg and 9.6 rpg through six NCAA games and was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team. Overall, this season she averaged a career-high 23.1 ppg and 7.4 rpg.

Olson was also named the D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year.

Off the court, she was a 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America honoree.

“Brooke is incredibly talented and the most versatile player I have ever been around,” head coach Mandy Pearson stated. “I say this often but she has found a way to improve as a leader and a basketball player every single year. She is a great teammate, a fantastic leader and one of the most determined individuals I have been around. I loved watching her lead our younger post players this year. She was so encouraging and has brought so many people positive energy this year, I just love the leader and person Brooke has become. I am so thankful that she has so much fun this year. Seeing her so happy this season often brought tears to my eyes. I am so proud of her, so happy she has seen so much success and very thankful that she has been able to enjoy the process!”

All Honda Sports nominees from DII and DIII 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 DII and DIII 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/.