Lea Ma Named Finalist for Honda Sport Award For Tennis
June 05, 2023 | Women's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia graduate Lea Ma has been named one of four finalists for the Class of 2023 Honda Sport Award for tennis as announced Monday by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
A native of Dix Hills, N.Y., Ma earned a degree in sport management this past May. Most recently, she garnered ITA All-America honors in singles and posted a No. 3 final ranking in singles after going 32-8. She helped the Bulldogs finish with a No. 2 team ranking as they went 26-5. Playing No. 1 singles in the lineup, she led Georgia to a semifinal showing in the NCAA Championships, the finals of the ITA National Team Indoors and an SEC Tournament title.
Joining Ma as finalists are Fiona Crawley (University of North Carolina), Mary Stoiana (Texas A&M) and Fangran Tian (UCLA), for the Class of 2023 Honda Sport Award for Tennis. Georgia has had three Honda Award winners in program history. Lisa Spain won in 1984, Angela Lettiere in 1994, and Marissa Catlin in 1998. Ma is Georgia's first finalist since Katarina Jokic, who was a two-time finalist (2019 & 2021).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 47 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies "the best of the best in collegiate athletics." The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2023 Honda Cup which will be presented during the live telecast of the Collegiate Women Sports Award presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network on June 26, at 8:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
The tennis finalists were determined by final ITA rankings and NCAA competition. The Honda Sport Award winner for tennis will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
The CWSA, entering its 47th year, has honored the nation's top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women's athletics programs.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Women's Tennis on Twitter @UGAWomensTennis, on Instagram @UGAWomensTennis, and on Facebook @GeorgiaWomensTennis or check out information online at www.georgiadogs.com
A native of Dix Hills, N.Y., Ma earned a degree in sport management this past May. Most recently, she garnered ITA All-America honors in singles and posted a No. 3 final ranking in singles after going 32-8. She helped the Bulldogs finish with a No. 2 team ranking as they went 26-5. Playing No. 1 singles in the lineup, she led Georgia to a semifinal showing in the NCAA Championships, the finals of the ITA National Team Indoors and an SEC Tournament title.
Joining Ma as finalists are Fiona Crawley (University of North Carolina), Mary Stoiana (Texas A&M) and Fangran Tian (UCLA), for the Class of 2023 Honda Sport Award for Tennis. Georgia has had three Honda Award winners in program history. Lisa Spain won in 1984, Angela Lettiere in 1994, and Marissa Catlin in 1998. Ma is Georgia's first finalist since Katarina Jokic, who was a two-time finalist (2019 & 2021).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 47 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies "the best of the best in collegiate athletics." The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2023 Honda Cup which will be presented during the live telecast of the Collegiate Women Sports Award presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network on June 26, at 8:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
The tennis finalists were determined by final ITA rankings and NCAA competition. The Honda Sport Award winner for tennis will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
The CWSA, entering its 47th year, has honored the nation's top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women's athletics programs.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Women's Tennis on Twitter @UGAWomensTennis, on Instagram @UGAWomensTennis, and on Facebook @GeorgiaWomensTennis or check out information online at www.georgiadogs.com
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