Selenski Selected as a Finalist for Honda Award

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia sophomore Paige Selenski was recently selected as a finalist for the 2009 Honda Award for field hockey, given annually to the nation’s top player.

The winner of the Honda Sports Award for field hockey will be decided by nationwide voting among NCAA member schools and will become a nominee for The Honda-Broderick Cup, an award annually given to the nation’s outstanding collegiate woman athlete of the year. In addition to the honor of this selection, American Honda will donate $1,000 to the women’s athletic fund of each nominee’s university, while the winner’s program will receive $5,000.

The three other nominees include Maryland’s Katie O’Donnell, Princeton’s Katie Reinprecht and Connecticut’s Loren Sherer.

Selenski (Shavertown, Pa.), a 2009 first team All-American, led the Cavaliers with 27 goals this season, the third-most in program history in a single season. Her eight game-winning goals also led the conference. She was tabbed the NFHCA South Regional Player of the Year in addition to being named a first-team all-south region and All-ACC selection for the second consecutive year.

Virginia concluded the season with a 20-4 record and made its third trip to the NCAA semifinals. The Cavaliers set a program record for wins (20) and games played (24) in a season.

Now in its 34th year, the Collegiate Women Sports Award program recognizes annually the top woman collegiate athlete in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, each of whom receives the Honda Sports Award. In addition, each year, a single athlete from the group of 12 Honda Sports Award winners is chosen as the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and is presented with the Honda-Broderick Cup.

Virginia boasts to previous winners of the Honda-Broderick Cup: Leslie Welch (cross country, 1982-83) and Dawn Staley (basketball, 1990-91). UVa’s Catherine White has been nominated as a finalist for the 2009 Honda Award for cross country.