Natalie Bruns, a senior forward from New York University (NYU), was named the DIII 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.

Bruns is 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 48th year.

“It’s an honor to be nominated for such a prestigious award and I’m ecstatic to represent what it means to be an athlete at NYU”, said Bruns. “Living in the city, taking care of rigorous coursework, and competing at the highest level in Division III has shaped me to become the best version of myself over the past four years; I could not be more thankful for my incredible support system at NYU, and credit my growth to the people around me. I am only one of many high achieving student-athletes within this community, and it’s an honor to help shed light on the amazing achievements of not only myself but the women’s basketball program, NYU Athletics, and NYU's Tandon School of Engineering.”

Bruns led her team to its second-ever NCAA Division III championship finishing a perfect 31-0 on the season and earning the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player honor en route to the title.

The senior was named the 2024 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and D3Hoops.com National Player of the Year along with earning First Team All-America accolades from both outlets. She was also recognized as the University Athletic Association (UAA) Player of the Year for the second year in a row and is a two-time First Team All-UAA honoree.

For the season, Bruns led the Violets in rebounding (7.3) and blocks (98), tied for first in scoring (14.3) and was second in assists (112), steals (41) and field goal percentage (.538). Nationally in NCAA DIII, she was fourth in total blocks and tied for eighth in blocks per game (3.2). 

Overall, Bruns finished her career at NYU as the program’s all-time leader in blocks with 237 and posted over 1,000 career points finishing with 1,128.

Off the court, the forward is a two-time Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree as well as a three-time UAA Winter Sports All-Academic performer. She also earned CSC Third Team Academic All-America honors last season.

“I am so proud of Natalie for earning this recognition as a finalist for the Honda Athlete of the Year”, stated head coach Meg Barber.

“To date, she has had an incredibly special career on the court, in the classroom and in her personal growth on campus at NYU and in New York City. Leading our team to a National Championship this year cemented her place in NYU history, but the bigger story is how she has impacted each member of our team and team culture as a leader, a friend and an amazing and selfless teammate. She has pushed herself in all aspects as a student-athlete at NYU and the results and recognition on a national stage are well deserved!”

All Honda Sport Award finalists from DIII and DII will vie for the prestigious 2024 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2024, at 7 PM ET, from its new home in New York City.

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 48th 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/.