University of North Carolina Athletics
Dawson Honored With Honda Award
December 6, 2007 | Field Hockey
Dec. 6, 2007
Rachel Dawson, a University of North Carolina senior and member of the U.S. women's national field hockey team, has been chosen as the nation's top collegiate female field hockey athlete. The honor was based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, now in its 32nd year.
Dawson's victory will earn her the 2008 Honda Sports Award, given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic nomination for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. She was voted over three other nominees: Jen Long, a junior at Penn State University; Katie O'Donnell, a freshman at the University of Maryland; and Pam Spuehler, a senior at Boston University. The candidates were selected by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
"It's a great honor to receive this award," Dawson said. "For me, it's really thanks to the support of so many people in my life, including my coaches, my teammates and my family. In particular, my coach, Karen Shelton, who won the award three times herself, has been a great inspiration for me, not just in terms of hockey, but in terms of leadership and as a role model. She knows what it takes for a woman to be successful in both sports and life."
Commenting on the award, Shelton, who herself was a three time Honda Sports Award winner in field hockey (1977, '78 and '79) added: "I'm happy and proud that Rachel has been recognized as the nation's top player. She had a huge impact on every facet of our team and provided great leadership on the field and off. From the start of the preseason to the championship game, her competitive intensity set her apart and helped others reach new heights. She was not only the best player on our team this year, but is the most valuable ever to wear a Tar Heel field hockey uniform."
A native of Berlin, N.J., Dawson is a senior back/midfielder and is in her second year as a member of the U.S. National Team. She led the Tar Heels in goals this year with 19, captaining her team to the NCAA title and a 24-0 season with 16 shutouts. Named ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second time, the two-time All-America was also named ACC Tournament MVP and National Player of the Year. She is seventh on the school's all-time career list for goals and scoring.
Dawson is a business major and a Dean's List student with a 3.6 GPA. She has been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll and the NFHCA National Academic Squad.
The first Honda Sports Award recipient for this year, Texas Tech's Sally Kipyego, was named earlier this week for cross-country. Honda Sports Award winners in basketball, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field will be announced in the coming months. The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate balloting involving all NCAA-member institutions and the winner will receive the Honda-Broderick Cup at a ceremony in New York in late June 2008. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. sponsors the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program.
