Sophia Wood, a senior from Saint Leo University, has been named a finalist for the Division II Honda Athlete of the Year award in lacrosse as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA), presented by Honda.

The announcement comes during a landmark moment for the organization, as the CWSA celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025–26 collegiate athletics season. Wood is now among 11 elite finalists for this prestigious award, which recognizes the top NCAA Division II athletes across various sports. The DII Honda Athlete of the Year will be selected by senior women administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools and will be honored during a live broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, July 27th, at 7:00 pm ET, in New York City.

“I am truly grateful to represent Saint Leo as a finalist for the DII Honda Athlete of the Year Award,” said Wood. “To be recognized with some of the most outstanding student athletes in the country is an honor. Being a finalist for this award is a reflection of not only me, but my teammates, coaches, and family, who have been nothing but supportive and pushed me to my full potential. I am thankful for Saint Leo for presenting me the opportunity to succeed as a student athlete over the course of my career and for giving me a team to share what has come from an amazing season.”

Wood, a senior from Rocky Point, N.Y., added to her standout season by earning Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year honors, while also receiving IWLCA First Team All-America recognition for the first time in her career.

Wood produced career-best numbers across nearly every statistical category, totaling 78 points on 67 goals and 12 assists, while adding 63 draw controls and 27 ground balls. During the season, she reached both the 100-career-goal and 100-career-point milestones and set a new program single-season record for goals scored. She was also named IWLCA Player of the Week in April.

The midfielder also earned USA Lacrosse Magazine Second Team All-America honors and was selected to the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) First Team. She played a key role in leading her team to a program-record 15 victories and its first-ever NCAA Championship appearance, advancing to the second round of the tournament.

Off the field, Wood was recognized on the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma.

“Sophia Wood’s play this season is what happens when hard work pays off,” stated head coach Caitlin Hansen.

She has quietly been putting in the work since high school, and when we needed someone to step up and run our midfield, she was more than ready. Sophia is humble and not one to seek attention, but on the field, it is impossible to miss her. She finishes her shots with exclamation points, her dodging is elite, she scraps for loose balls, causes turnovers on defense, and competes on the draw circle. She is a complete player, and there were multiple times this spring that she left her teammates and the coaching staff in awe watching her. She set a standard for us in the weight room, in fitness, and on the field while maintaining a level of academic excellence and working an accounting internship. Saint Leo could not be prouder to have someone like Sophia Wood represent our program.”

Now in its 50th year, the CWSA continues to honor the nation’s top female collegiate athletes for excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since partnering with Honda in 1986, the program has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants, strengthening and advancing women’s athletics programs nationwide.

About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation 

For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. The company’s mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life’s potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering an inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety, and community.  

Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.