Estela Perez-Somarriba, a junior from the University of Miami, was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Tennis 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, Perez-Somarriba 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.

Perez-Somarriba was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Kate Fahey (Michigan), Katarina Jokic (Georgia) and Ingrid Martins (South Carolina).

“I am honored and pleased to receive the Honda Sport Award and to join past recipients whom I greatly admire and respect,” stated Perez-Somarriba. “College tennis is the best school in life; it teaches you determination and teamwork, and allows you to reach unimaginable heights. I am very grateful to the CWSA and collegiate administrators for selecting me, as well as to the University of Miami for helping me follow my dreams. It is such a privilege.”

Hailing from Madrid, Spain, Perez-Somarriba was the 2019 NCAA Individiual Championship and entered the tournament as the top seed. A two-time ACC Player of the Year, she is a three-time ITA All-American in singles and three-time First-Team All-ACC honoree.

She broke the program record for career wins in the NCAA Singles Championship (12-2) and went 28-4 overall against ranked players, including a 24-1 mark at the No. 1 spot. Overall, she capped her 2018-19 campaign at 43-5, the highest victory total of any player in the country and second most wins in program history.

 “There truly cannot be a stronger recipient of such a prestigious award,” said head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “I am amazed by Estela’s daily commitment to excellence on the court, in the classroom and in her personal life. The list of individuals to receive this accolade is truly astounding and I’m honored that Estela is now one of them.”

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/