Another national honor for NU's Nielsen

Hannah Nielsen, a Northwestern University junior, has been voted the 2008 Honda Sports Award winner as the nation's top collegiate female lacrosse player.

The Honda Sports Award is given annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, and Nielsen now becomes a candidate for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

Last year's Honda Sports Award winner for lacrosse was Kristen Kjellman, also from Northwestern, who won in 2005 and 2006 as well.

"Winning the Honda Sports Award is a great honor for me," said Nielsen. "Kristen and I had a lot of fun playing together and even lived together for a couple of years. Being up there with her, and to be able to continue the Northwestern legacy of winning this award, makes me very proud. I have so many people to thank, including all my teammates and my coach."

A junior midfielder from Adelaide, Australia, Nielsen led the Wildcats to their fourth straight NCAA championship this year, netting three goals and three assists in the NCAA championship game, for a total of 12 tournament goals and 10 assists.

Nielsen recently won the Tewaaraton Trophy as the nation's top lacrosse player.

Previously announced 2008 Honda Sports Award recipients include Texas Tech's Sally Kipyego for cross-country, the University of North Carolina's Rachel Dawson for field hockey, Texas A&M University's Ashlee Pistorius for soccer, Stanford University's Foluke Akinradewo for volleyball, University of Florida's Caroline Burckle for swimming & diving, the University of Tennessee's Candace Parker for basketball, and the University of Georgia's Katie Heenan for Gymnastics.

Honda Sports Award winners in golf, softball, tennis, and track & field will be announced in June. The Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year will be determined by separate balloting involving all NCAA-member institutions and the winner will receive the Honda-Broderick Cup at Columbia University's Low Library on Monday, June 23.