Perez-Somarriba Claims Honda Sport Award for Tennis
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Estela Perez-Somarriba of the University of Miami women’s tennis team earned the prestigious Honda Sport Award for Tennis, as announced Friday afternoon by THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The junior from Madrid is the fourth student-athlete in Miami history to win the elite award, including the third tennis player.
“I am honored and pleased to receive the Honda Sport Award and to join past recipients whom I greatly admire and respect,” Perez-Somarriba said. “College tennis is the best school in life; it teaches you determination and teamwork, and allows you to reach unimaginable heights. I am very grateful to the CWSA and collegiate administrators for selecting me, as well as to the University of Miami for helping me follow my dreams. It is such a privilege.”
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 43 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” Each winner is recognized as the top collegiate female athlete in her sport.
With this honor, Perez-Somarriba becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious Class of 2019 Honda Cup, which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network June 24 at 9 p.m. ET at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. This cup has been bestowed in the past on athletes such as Mia Hamm, Cheryl Miller, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Misty May and Candace Parker.
“There truly cannot be a stronger recipient of such a prestigious award,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I am amazed by Estela’s daily commitment to excellence on the court, in the classroom and in her personal life. The list of individuals to receive this accolade is truly astounding and I’m honored that Estela is now one of them.”
Perez-Somarriba was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Michigan’s Kate Fahey, Georgia’s Katarina Jokic and South Carolina’s Ingrid Gamarra Martins.
The three-time ITA All-American is the third Honda Sport Award for Tennis winner Yaroshuk-Tews has coached in Coral Gables, joining Audra Cohen (2006-07) and current Miami associate head coach Laura Vallverdu (2009-10). The other Hurricane to earn the award was golfer Penny Hammel (1982-83).
Three of the 12 award winners this year are from the ACC, setting a new league record. North Carolina’s Ashley Hoffman garnered the field hockey distinction and Florida State’s Natalia Kuikka did so in soccer.
Perez-Somarriba tallied a 43-5 record in 2018-19, pacing the nation in wins and tallying the second-most by a Hurricane in a singles season. She received ACC Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season and won the second NCAA Singles Championship title in program history.
The full release on Perez-Somarriba’s selection as the Honda Sport Award for Tennis winner is available HERE.
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