TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Jenna Nighswonger continues to be honored for her terrific senior season as she was named a Honda Sport Award Finalist as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
Nighswonger is joined by Tori Hansen of the University of North Carolina, Lilly Reale from UCLA and Reyna Reyes from the University of Alabama as one of the four finalists for the Class of 2023 Honda Sport Award for Soccer.
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 47 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2023 Honda Cup which will be presented during the live telecast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network in June.
The soccer finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the United Soccer Coaches. The Honda Sport award winner for soccer will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Nighswonger had a career year in her senior season leading to her being a Honda Award and MAC Hermann Award Finalist. She had a career-high in points (28), assists (16) and goals (six) and was named a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American. Her 16 assists in a season were second in school history behind only Yamaguchi in the 2007 season when she won the MAC Hermann. Nighswonger finished her career with 19 goals and 34 assists for 72 points. Her 34 assists rank as the second most in a career at FSU and her 72 points ranks ninth all-time at Florida State.
Nighswonger was named to the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week three times and was named the TDS and College Soccer News National Player of the Week on October 18 after recording three assists against No. 12 Duke. She was named to the All-Atlantic Region First Team, the All-ACC First Team and was named the ACC Tournament MVP after finishing with two goals and an assist against No. 2 North Carolina and No. 4 Notre Dame.
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