Tera Ziemer, a senior midfielder from Western Washington University, was named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for soccer as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Ziemer is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DII Honda Athlete of the Year. This will be voted on at the end of the academic year by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of THE CWSA program, now in its 47th year.

Ziemer, hailing from Santa Rosa, Calif., was most recently named the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Division II Player of the Year and was named a United Soccer Coaches DII First-Team All-American. The senior led WWU to its second NCAA Division II Championship title and finished the year on top with a 19-2-4 mark.

The midfielder started all 25 games during the national championship season, scoring six goals with four assists for 16 total points. In addition to earning first-team All-Region awards from the United Soccer Coaches and the D2CCA, Ziemer was a unanimous first-team All-GNAC selection and earned a spot on the NCAA Championship All-Tournament team.

In two seasons at WWU, Ziemer appeared in 45 games (44 starts) with 12 goals and 10 assists (34 points).

“Winning the National Player of the Year Award and being nominated for the prestigious Honda Award are big honors,” said head coach Travis Connell. Tera was a catalyst for our team success this year with the play on the field and contribution to our team culture as a leader as a good teammate. Tera performed the best in the big games when the lights where brightest. They also inspired their teammates by believing in them and their abilities.”

All Honda Sports nominees from DII and DIII become a finalist for the prestigious 2023 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports Network in June, 2023, in downtown Los Angeles. The Honda Award finalists are recognized in 11 DII and DIII NCAA-sanctioned sports; cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field.

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/.