Maria Fassi, a senior from the University of Arkansas, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Golf as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).

The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 43 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”.  With this honor, Fassi becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious Class of 2019 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 24, 2019, at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET, in downtown Los Angeles.

Fassi was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Jaravee Boonchant (Duke), Frida Kinhult (Florida State) and Albane Valenzuela (Stanford).

Hailing from Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, Fassi is the 2019 Ping Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Player of the Year after capturing the 2019 NCAA Individual Championship title. She was runner-up at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and most recently finished tied for 12th in her professional debut at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open in Charleston.

A two-time WGCA First-Team All-American, she is also a two-time SEC Player of the Year and a two-time First-Team All-SEC honoree. She helped the Razorbacks advance to NCAA Championship match play for the first time in program history and posted a 71.18 scoring average on the year

She captured the ANNIKA Award for the second time in as many years as the top collegiate female golfer and ranked second in the final Golfweek individual rankings with a 71.18 scoring average on the year.

On the season, she notched five top-five finishes during the season and netted 20 under-par rounds and seven rounds in the 60’s.

“For Maria to win this award, it says a lot about her impact on the college game and on our program here at Arkansas,” Coach Shauna Taylor said. “From the day I met Maria, I knew she was going to change the game and accomplish so many amazing things.  She has been a model student-athlete on and off the golf course; winning the Honda Sport Award for Golf is just further proof of that.  I am so proud of her and the way she has led our team. But I am even more proud of the woman she has become.”

Honda Sport Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year.

The CWSA, in its 43rd year, honors the nation’s top NCAA women athletes recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.  Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.3 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions. 

About Honda

Honda seeks to be a company that society wants to exist, creating products and technologies that improve the lives of people while minimizing the environmental impacts of its products and business operations to ensure a sustainable future.

Honda also is committed to making positive contributions to the communities where it does business, conducting socially responsible business practices and promoting diversity in its workforce. From Honda’s involvement in STEM education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to its support of pediatric brain tumor research and volunteer efforts by Honda associates, including environmental clean-up activities, Honda believes in giving back to the communities where its associates live and work.

Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/