Heck Wins Field Hockey Honda Award

UNC sophomore Ryleigh Heck is the winner of the 2024 Honda Sport Award for field hockey, as announced on Tuesday by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards.

She's the sixth Tar Heel on the ninth occasion to win the honor, following Leslie Lyness (1989), Cindy Werley (1996 and 1997), Rachel Dawson (2007), Ashley Hoffman (2018) and Erin Matson (2019, 2020 and 2022).

"Ryleigh being awarded the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey speaks to her skill on the field but more significantly to the way she carries herself off the field and what she's done for our sport," said Matson, the UNC head coach and a three-time Honda winner. "Like any award, this is a team award. But Ryleigh's commitment, drive, execution in crucial moments, and so much more have given her a spot on a very elite list. We are all so proud of Ryleigh and how she represents our program and our University."

It's the second Player of the Year honor for Heck, a forward from Ocean City, N.J. She was also named 2023 Division I National Player of the Year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA).

In 2023, Heck led the Tar Heels in scoring with 34 points on 13 goals and eight assists. A first-team All-ACC pick for the second year in a row, she was the MVP of the ACC Tournament as Carolina won its seventh title in a row and 26^th overall.

In the NCAA title game, Heck scored the deciding goal in the sudden death penalty shootout after the game against Northwestern was still tied at 1-1 after double overtime. The Tar Heel title was the team's 11^th overall and fifth in the past six seasons.

"I'm so honored and grateful to receive the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey," Heck said. "I would like to acknowledge my teammates, coaches, and everyone in the field hockey community who supported me. I want to give a big thank you to Erin, Coach Shelton, all the coaching staff, my parents and teammates who played a huge role in my journey. Their guidance and encouragement helped me get here. This award is not just mine; it's a result of everyone's hard work in our field hockey program. "

Heck is now a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2024 Honda Cup, which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 24 in New York City.

Players Mentioned

Ryleigh Heck

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