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| Kylee Hanavan has crowned her list of athletic accomplishments with the NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year award. |
Metro State women’s soccer player Kylee Hanavan has been named the Division II Athlete of the Year by Honda.
Hanavan led Metro State to NCAA national championships in 2004 and
2006. She will accept the prestigious award during a press conference
at New York City’s Columbia University June 25.
“It’s an exciting award, a good way to go out,” said Hanavan, who is
majoring in social work. “It speaks volumes about the soccer program
and the athletic department at Metro State. The highlight of my career
was playing with amazing talent on two national championship teams.”
“We’re extremely proud of Kylee and the contributions she has made
to Metro State,” said Athletic Director Joan McDermott. “Her leadership
and dedication to the soccer program will certainly be remembered.”
Hanavan is just the second soccer player to earn the honor in the
20-year history of the Division II Athlete of the Year award.She was
voted over 11 other Division II athletes from different sports by
theathletic directors from Division II member schools around the
country.
“As only the second soccer player in the history of the award, it
really separates her accomplishment from all the other great soccer
players over the years,” said Head Soccer Coach Danny Sanchez. “It’s a
well-deserved award. Kylee was a catalyst in putting Metro State soccer
on the map. The Honda Sports Award is also a tremendous reflection on
the athletic department and where we sit in the Division II landscape.
Not only is this a great honor for Kylee but for our program and for
Metro State.”
Hanavan, the 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Player of the Year, leaves the team as the Roadrunners’
all-time leader in points (206), goals (80) and assists (46). A
three-time NSCAA/adidas all-American and two-time Rocky Mountain
Athletic Conference (RMAC) Player of the Year, she ranked fourth in the
NCAA in assists per game (0.80), sixth in points per game (2.64) and 21st in goals per game (0.92) this past season.
Now in her senior year, Hanavan’s eligibility to play has ended, but
she will continue with the team as an assistant until she graduates.
Sponsored by Honda, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program is in its 31st year. American Honda Motor Co. will donate $5,000 in Hanavan’s name to the Metro State women’s athletic program.
