Brooke Olson, a graduate student from the University of Minnesota Duluth basketball 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.

Olson will be presented with this honor on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 26, 2023, (5:30 pm PT /8:30 pm EST) on the campus of UCLA 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 Diana Akopova (Barry, volleyball), Stephanie Cotter (Adams State, cross country), Maria Hoyos (Lynn, golf), Deniz Kazan (Barry, tennis), Angelina Porcello (Pace, lacrosse), Emily Trieschmann (Nova Southeastern, swimming & diving), Valerie van Kuijck (West Chester, field hockey), Cheyenne Williamson (Saginaw Valley State, track & field), Zoe Willis (Georgia Southwestern, softball) and Tara Ziemer (Western Washington, soccer).

Olson, hailing from Rice Lake, Wis., earned the first player of the year honor in program history when she was named the 2023 WBCA DII Player of the Year and earned her fourth WBCA First Team All-America nod. She also dominated her conference honors winning four straight NAIC Player of the Year awards and All-NSIC First Team honors all four seasons.

The forward led her team to the Bulldogs first-ever appearance in the NCAA title game and a runner-up finish. She finished the NCAA Championship as the NCAA DII Tournament single-single record holder in points with 171 after averaging an impressive 28.5 ppg and adding 9.6 rpg through six NCAA games. For the season, she averaged a career high 23.1 ppg and 7.4 rpg.

In the classroom, she earned Collegiate Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America honors and is a two-time NSIC All-Academic team meber.

“Brooke is so deserving of this award, it's so fitting she will end her career with a tremendous national award after helping elevate the UMD program to a national level,” said Bulldog head coach Mandy Pearson. “Brooke is incredibly talented and the most versatile player I have ever been around.”

“I say this often, but she has found a way to improve as a leader and a basketball player every single year. Brooke ended her Bulldog career still working every single day to get a little bit better. She was a great teammate, a fantastic leader and one of the most determined individuals I have been around. I loved watching her lead our younger post players this year. She was so encouraging and has brought so many people positive energy this year, I just love the leader and person Brooke has become, and I am so thankful for everything she gave to our program over the past five years.”

The CWSA, entering its 47th 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/.