Jazmin Petrantonio, a senior midfielder/forward from the Shippensburg University field hockey team, was named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Petrantonio will be presented with this honor on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 27, 2022, (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. The 10 other finalists for the Honda DII Athlete of the Year Award included Hannah Becker (Grand Valley State, Cross Country), Kayson Boatner (Anderson (S.C.), Softball), Denisha Cartwright (Minnesota State, Track & Field), Alice Götbring (Barry, Golf), Deniz Kazan (Barry, Tennis), Abigail Lagos (Indianapolis, Lacrosse), Danielle Melilli (Queen’s (N.C.), Swimming & Diving), Cecilia Steinwascher (Grand Valley State, Soccer), Julianne Sutton (North Georgia, Basketball) and Alexis Cardoza (Cal State San Bernardino, Volleyball).

"It's really hard for me to put into words the way I feel," Petrantonio said. "It is a huge honor to receive this award, but that’s not adequate to reflect the way I feel. It is one of those things that nobody prepares you, because only a select few athletes even get the chance to be recognized as a finalist, and that’s what makes this award so special."

"But if there is something I can say about getting recognized this way, it’s that it doesn’t matter how big your ambitions are, chase it, grab it and run with it."

"Never in a million years could I have I thought that a student-athlete at Shippensburg, a small town in Pennsylvania, who plays a sport that is still emerging in popularity in the United States, would’ve been in this category,” added Petrantonio. “So, it is something that I will be forever grateful for, for the rest of my life, as much as I will be forever grateful with every single person I have come across during my stay at Shippensburg. Thank you, Shippensburg Athletics, the coaching staff, my family, my friends and every single person that helped me where I am today."

Petrantonio, hailing from Saenz Pena, Argentina, led her team to the 2021 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after helping the Raiders to its sixth national championship in school history and fourth in the last five seasons. She also earned All-Tournament Team honors for the third time in her career.

She is a four-time NFHCA First-Team All-American, only the second player in school history to earn First Team honors in all four seasons, and a four-time All-PSAC First-Team honoree after earning her second PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year honor (2018, 2021). She was also named the NFHCA National Player of the Year in 2018.

The midfielder/forward finished her historic career with a school record 106 career goals which ranks third-most in NCAA Division II history. As a senior, she led the nation with a school-record 37 goals, 84 points and ranked first nationally in goals per game (1.85). She holds PSAC record for goals (6), assists (6), and points (13) in a single game and ranks third in PSAC history for most goals in a season (37) and most points in a season (84).

Off the field, she was a 2021 NFHCA DII National Academic Squad member and a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large honoree.

“On behalf of the coaching staff and the team, congratulations to Jazmin for being named the Division II Honda Athlete of the Year,” said head field hockey coach, Tara Zollinger.

“We are proud of her accomplishments on the field, off the field, and within our Shippensburg community,” continued Zollinger. “As a trailblazer on the field, Jazmin elevated the game while she competed with passion and respect. Off the field, Jazmin was a dedicated student and was involved with many university organizations.”

“She is hard-working, passionate, committed and extremely deserving of this recognition for all that she has done as an athlete and student.”

The CWSA, entering its 46th year, has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.  Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs.  

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