June 30, 2014
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) will present University of Kentucky women’s soccer player Arin Gilliland with the 2014 Honda Inspiration Award on Momday night at the USC Galen Center Founders Room in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The ceremony will be shown live on the CBS Sports Network, and will be co-hosted by Debbie Antonelli and Brent Stover.
Gilliland, named an All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for her efforts this season, collected 34 points, scored a career-high 12 goals, assisted on 10 goals – just one shy of the program record, set a new school record in shots with 100, scored three game-winning goals and was named first team All-Southeastern Conference.
Named a team captain after the 2011 season, the Lexington, Ky., native took the 2013 season by storm, serving as one of Kentucky’s three team leaders in the fall. Gilliland played over 1,800 minutes on the pitch for the Wildcats, rewriting the record books in a number of categories, and placing herself fifth all-time at UK with 77 career points in her three seasons.
Gilliland will join an incredible list of past Honda Award winners including Mia Hamm (North Carolina), Abby Wambach (Florida), Alex Morgan (California), Kristine Lilly (North Carolina), Brandi Chastain (California), Elena Delle Donne (Deleware), Maya Moore (UConn) and Candace Parker (Tennessee) and Kristy McPherson (South Carolina).
As the 2014 Honda Inspiration Award winner, Gilliland will receive her award at a live televised ceremony on the CBS Sports Network in Los Angeles and will be joined by an impressive list of other Honda Cup finalists including Abbey D’Agostino (Dartmouth, cross country), MarieElena Bolles (UConn, field hockey), Abby Dahlkemper (UCLA, soccer), Krista Vansant (Washington, volleyball), Felicia Lee (Stanford, swimming & diving), Breanna Stewart (UConn, basketball) and Kim Jacob (Alabama, gymnastics).
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., sponsor of the program, celebrates each nominee by donating $5,000 to each Honda Sports Award recipient school and $1,000 to each nominee school.
The CWSA has honored the nation’s top NCAA women’s athletes for 37 years, recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in academic excellence. Since beginning its scholarship in 1986, Honda has provided more than 2.5 million dollars in institutional grants to universities of the award winners and nominees.
For continuing coverage of UK women’s soccer and Gilliland’s trip to Los Angeles, log on to UKathletics.com.
