Madison Temple, a senior guard for the Thomas More University basketball team, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year as announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Temple will be presented with this honor on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 24, 2019, (6 pm PT /9 pm EST) in the Founders’ Room at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California in downtown Los, Angeles.  The honor was voted on by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the CWSA program, now in its 43rd year.

"I want to start by saying congratulations to all the other outstanding female athletes up for this award on their successful seasons," said Temple. "It is such an honor to be selected as the Division III Honda Athlete of the Year.  I think this award represents the time and dedication I have put into the sport I love and it shows that hard work pays off.  I was tested in the past when I tore bot of my ACLs in high school and almost didn’t play in college.  I am extremely grateful that I came to Thomas more and got to live out my dream of being a college athlete and winning not one, but two National Championships.”

“Of course this award wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the amazing people I have in my life.  Thank you to my coaches, teammates, friends, fans, athletic trainers and the athletic department for your support and believing in me.  To my wonderful family, thank you for your love and support every step of the way.  I wouldn’t be half the woman I am if it weren’t for you all keeping me grounded and instilling in me the importance of being a competitor, showing good sportsmanship and always being a positive role model."

Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, Temple was the 2019 DIII Jostens Trophy winner and 2019 WBCA Division III Player of the Year. A First-Team WBCA All-American she also earned D3Hoops.com and D3News National Player of the Year. She led team to the DIII National Championship title.

Temple finished career as the all-time leader in scoring (2,184), assists (585), made field goals (812), made free-throws (818) and finished third in career rebounding (818). She led her team in scoring (23.5 ppg), rebounds (7.7 rpg), assists (187) and steals (92) and posted a single-season record of 186 free throws. Her season assists and points (776) ranked second in the program while her rebounds rank third in a single-season

Off the court she is an Academic All-ACAA honoree and a Google Cloud Academic All-American as a sports and entertainment marketing major.

“Receiving this award from The Collegiate Women Sports Award presented by Honda is a great accomplishment for Madison and a tremendous way to complete her career at Thomas More University," said head coach Jeff Hans. "She has been an integral part of our basketball program, but more importantly the Thomas More community."

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/