Erin Nicholas, a senior midfielder from the Middlebury College field hockey team, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Nicholas 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 DIII Athlete of the Year Award included Elle Christensen (Tufts, Tennis), Riley Cook (Christopher Newport, Soccer), Jane Earley (Middlebury, Lacrosse), Crile Hart (Kenyon, Swimming & Diving), Kaitlyn Hasty (Christopher Newport, Softball), Ari Marks (Wellesley, Track & Field), Kassie Parker (Loras, Cross Country), Kenedy Schoonveld (Hope, Basketball), Rylee Suttor (Centre, Golf) and Heidi Westra (Calvin, Volleyball).

“I am honored to be recognized as the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year and want to congratulate all of the other finalists on their incredible accomplishments and contributions to their respective sports,” said Nicholas. “I hold so much pride in being a female athlete and in being a member of two of the three women’s teams at Middlebury who compiled a record of 71-1 during Title IX’s 50th anniversary. I am grateful for every teammate, coach, trainer, friend, and family member who has helped me get to this point and know that this recognition reflects the love, support, and hard work of each of them. This year is a special time to celebrate the growth of women’s athletics, and I am thankful to the Middlebury, Honda, and CWSA communities for their help in acknowledging and celebrating the continued perseverance and success of women athletes across the nation.”

Nicholas was named the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) National Player of the Year for the third consecutive year. She is also a three-time NFHCA Region II Player of the Year and a three-time NFHCA First-Team All-American.

The midfielder led her 2021 team to an undefeated season and its fourth-straight NCAA Championship title becoming the first team ever to win four consecutive titles. A three-time NCAA All-Tournament honoree, she also received Most Outstanding Player honors this year as well as in 2019.

She led the NESCAC in points (64), goals (28) and game-winning goals (9) and received her third straight NESCAC Player of the Year nod and third First-Team All-NESCAC mention.

Hailing from Scarsdale, N.Y., Nicholas finished her field hockey career at Middlebury with 161 points (65G, 31A). Her 28 goals this season moved her into third on Middlebury's single-season list and her career-high 64 points this season placed her third on the Panther's all-time list.

Most recently, she earned Middlebury's A. Bayard Russ '66 Memorial Athletic Award Winner as a two-sport athlete. Although she was named DIII Athlete of the Year in the sport of field hockey, she was also an All-American midfielder and captain for the two-time National Championship lacrosse team. She started 20 of 23 games and finished the season with her second National Championship of the 2021-22 school year and season career-highs in goals (30), assists (7), points (37) and caused turnovers (26).

Nicholas concluded her career with an impressive 151-9 record across the two sports.

Off the field, combining her fall and spring seasons, she is a four-time member of the NFHCA National Academic Team, a six-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree and a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American. Nicholas majored in molecular biology and biochemistry holding a 3.83 grade point average (GPA).

“What an honor for Middlebury and for Erin Nicholas to be named Division III’s Athlete of the Year with the Honda Award,” stated head coach Katharine DeLorenzo. “We are grateful to everyone at CWSA for their support and promotion of women and are so very proud of Erin for her efforts and achievements that represent the very best of Division III. 

“From the very minute she arrived on campus, Erin has applied her great talents and devoted herself to her teammates and her training - she has been relentless in her pursuit of excellence,” continued DeLorenzo. “She has also poured her heart and soul into our culture and our performances where the results speak loudly for themselves.  The manner in which she has approached it all, and impacted others is actually her legacy, not the goals and the wins.  Her presence transforms others into the best versions of themselves resulting in a team filled with gritty, tireless, clever, kind, well-prepared and highly aspirational women.”

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.  

About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility

For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. Honda’s mission is to create products and services that improve the lives of people while conducting its business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Accordingly, Honda believes in helping people reach their life’s potential through its focus on the areas of education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.