Ole Miss' Arianne Hartono Wins 2018 Honda Sports Award

Arianne Hortono celebrates a victory on the court. Photo courtesy of olemisssports.com.

Ole Miss women’s tennis player Arianne Hartono was named the 2108 Honda Sports Award winner for tennis. Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA), made the announcement Wednesday, June 6.

Hartono is the first student-athlete in Ole Miss history to be named a Honda Sports Award winner.
The Honda Sports Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 42 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. It signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”, according to CWSA.   
Hartono was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Makenna Jones (North Carolina), Astra Sharma (Vanderbilt) and Bianca Turati (Texas).
“I know that the best athletes in the country are considered for this award, so for me to win it is a huge honor,” Hartono said. “I feel so blessed and grateful for the opportunity that was given to me at Ole Miss, enabling me to excel in my sport and in my academics. I would not have been able to do what I did or be who I am today if it weren’t for Ole Miss, its program, its community and its staff.”
Hartono, a senior from Meppel, Netherlands, was the 2018 NCAA Singles Champion and the first NCAA singles titlist in Ole Miss women’s tennis history. She also made program history by winning SEC Player of the Year and finishing 11-2 at No. 1 singles in SEC play. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association 2018 Co-Senior Player of the Year was also a three-time All-SEC honoree and a two-time ITA All-American.
“What an amazing honor for Ari to win the Honda Sports Award for Tennis,” head coach Mark Beyers said. “This is such a prestigious award. For Ari to be the first ever Ole Miss athlete to win this award speaks volumes about the type of student-athlete she is, and the incredible things she has accomplished this year.”
Honda Sports Award winners will be presented with the honor during on-campus presentations throughout the year. 

Adam Brown is the sports editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.