Kristina Akselsen, a junior midfielder from Messiah University, was named the DIII 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.

Akselsen is designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DIII 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 48th year.

“It is an honor to be recognized for this award alongside other dedicated female athletes,” said Akselsen. “God has blessed me with such an amazing program to be a part of and none of this would be possible without my dedicated teammates and coaching staff.”

Akselsen, hailing from Wall, N.J., was most recently named the DIII United Soccer Coaches Player of the Year after earning back-to-back United Soccer Coaches First Team All-America honors. She led her team to the NCAA Semifinals and finished the season with a 21-2-1 overall record.

On the season, she started in all 23 games and finished third on the Falcons with 20 points on eight goals and four assists. The midfielder added three game-winning goals on the year.

Akselsen helped the Falcons to their fifth-straight MAC Commonwealth Conference Championship and has landed on the All-MAC Commonwealth First Team two years in a row.

Off the field, she is a two-time All-MAC Academic per former and a CSC Academic All-District Team honoree.

All Honda Sport Award finalists from DIII and DII will vie for the prestigious 2024 Honda Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2024, at 7 PM ET, from its new home in New York City.

The Honda Award finalists are recognized in 11 DIII and DII NCAA-sanctioned sports; cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field.

The CWSA, entering its 48th 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/.