UCLA sophomore defender Lilly Reale has been named the Honda Sport Award winner for Soccer, as announced Monday by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women of all ages Sports activities Awards (CWSA).
Reale becomes just the 3rd Bruin to win the Honda Sport Award for Soccer, becoming a member of Earth Cup champions Abby Dahlkemper (2013) and Sam Mewis (2014). Reale also joins soccer legend Christine Sinclair as the only other participant to acquire the award as a sophomore.
“I am exceptionally honored and grateful to have gained the Honda Sport Award for soccer,” claimed Reale. “To have even been regarded for this award alongside these types of a gifted group of female athletes feels surreal. I cannot thank my teammates, coaches, personnel and loved ones sufficient for helping me increase as both of those a participant and man or woman this 12 months. Their really hard function and advice is what has authorized me to accomplish this accomplishment.”
“I also want to thank the Bruin neighborhood of athletes, admirers and college students who have stood powering our team this season for all of the like and assist,” she ongoing. “Attending UCLA has been the biggest working experience of my life, and I come to feel outside of blessed to be surrounded by such incredible individuals.”
A two-12 months starter for the Bruins, Reale assisted direct UCLA to the 2022 NCAA Championship with an unparalleled comeback from a two-intention deficit in the last 10 minutes of the activity. UCLA went on to defeat host North Carolina in extra time, 3-2, to seize the program’s 2nd NCAA title. Reale, who also keyed the Bruins’ semifinal shutout earn more than Alabama, was named the Higher education Cup’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Reale gained All-The usa honors in 2022 by multiple organizations (initial-team by College or university Soccer Information, second-team by United Soccer Coaches, second-workforce Finest XI by Leading Drawer Soccer) and is a two-time very first-staff All-Location and All-Pac-12 honoree. She was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Yr this year, becoming a member of Environment Cup champion Abby Dahlkemper as the only two Bruins to acquire the convention award. Reale started out and played in 24 of 25 online games this period, missing only the season opener due to her participation in the FIFA Less than-20 Women’s World Cup. She led the Bruin protection to a .55 objectives from typical, UCLA’s cheapest in 8 decades, and to a Pac-12 Meeting-most effective 14 shutouts. On the offensive stop, Reale scored a person aim, the match-winner in the Bruins’ 1- victory in excess of Washington Point out, and assisted on the video game-winner at Oregon Point out. She led all UCLA field gamers in minutes performed with 2,043.
Reale experienced an superb freshman marketing campaign in 2021, beginning in 19 video games and ranking next amongst UCLA subject gamers in minutes performed with 1,683. She contributed to nine shutouts and scored one objective and one particular guide. Reale earned very first-group All-Pacific Area and All-Pac-12 honors and was named to Best Drawer Soccer’s Freshman Most effective XI initial crew and to College or university Soccer News’ All-Freshman very first group.
In addition to her on-discipline achievement, Reale is a standout in the classroom, earning Academic All-District honors from the Higher education Sporting activities Communicators.
The Hingham, Mass. indigenous aided direct the U.S. Underneath-20 National Group to very first-location finishes at the Concacaf U-20 Championship and at the Sud Girls Cup.
“We are so honored for Lilly to acquire this year’s Honda Award for soccer,” said UCLA head mentor Margueritte Aozasa. “She is now among a shorter record of legends in women’s sporting activities. Thank you to the CWSA for this extraordinary recognition of Lilly and her achievements with our program.”
The Honda Activity Award has been introduced every year by the CWSA for the previous 47 yrs to the leading gals athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sporting activities and signifies “the best of the most effective in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the activity award turns into a finalist for the Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2023 Honda Cup which will be presented during the dwell telecast of the Collegiate Women of all ages Sports activities Awards Offered by Honda on CBS Sports Community in June.
Reale was chosen by a vote of directors from around 1,000 NCAA member educational facilities. The other finalists have been Tori Hansen (North Carolina), Jenna Nighswonger (Florida State) and Reyna Reyes (Alabama).
The CWSA, getting into its 47th year, has honored the nation’s leading NCAA women athletes for their remarkable athletic capabilities, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in neighborhood support. Considering the fact that commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has delivered more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to guidance women’s athletics plans.
