Jane Earley, a senior attack player from the Middlebury College lacrosse 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.

Earley 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 DIII Athlete of the Year Award included Kristiina Castagnola (Rowan, field hockey), Jenna Holmes (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, volleyball), Victoria Kadiri (Johns Hopkins, track & field), Sydney Kuo (Washington St. Louis, golf), Morgan Morisson (Smith, basketball), Kassie Parker (Loras, cross country), Emma Sweitzer (Misericordia, soccer), Sophia Verkeeren (Williams, swimming & diving) and Lindsey Windsor (Salisbury, softball).

"I feel so honored to be named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year out of so many talented and driven athletes," said Earley. "I am so thankful for every minute I got to spend wearing a Middlebury jersey, and cannot thank my coaches, teammates, trainers, family, friends and professors enough for their love and support throughout my collegiate career. I am so proud to be able to represent my team and all of the hard work we put forth all year long. I would not be here without each and every one of them and their relentless effort and dedication. In addition, I am thankful to stand on the shoulders of all the Middlebury women's lacrosse players who came before me, whose legacy continues to push our team towards success."

Earley was named the DIII Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Player of the Year and Attacker of the Year for the second season in a row and is a three-time IWLCA All-American. In addition, she repeated as the NESCAC Player of the Year and earned All-NESCAC First Team honors again this season.

The attack player hailing from North Falmouth, Mass., led her team to its third consecutive NCAA Championship finishing with a 23-0 mark. She paced the conference in points (106) and draw controls (138), while ranking second in goals (74) and assists (32).

She ranks second in the program’s career record books in goals (217), points (290) and draw controls (257) and is just the second player in program history to eclipse the 200-goal mark. Earley also broke the school mark for most draw controls in a single game this year, winning 13 earlier in the season. Her 106 points this year are a program-best, surpassing her own record of 99 from a season ago.

“It is such an honor to see Jane Earley recognized as the Honda Division III Athlete of the Year.  In her time at Middlebury,” said head field hockey coach, Kate Livesay. “Jane has inspired and elevated the play of those around her through her tireless work ethic and her commitment to the team.  Jane is tremendously talented, but even more so, she is a humble competitor.  It is this humility that has driven the growth and improvement of the lacrosse program in her time at Middlebury.  The earnestness of her unwavering efforts, the care and attention to the needs of her teammates, and her competitive spirit have been a special combination to behold.  She has truly set the example for how to aspire and achieve big things in the classroom and on the athletic field.”

This is the second straight year Middlebury College has produced the Honda DIII Athlete of the Year after Erin Nicholas won the award last year as a former Middlebury field hockey standout.

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/.