On Monday, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards presented fifth-year UNC women’s lacrosse forward Jamie Ortega with the Honda Sport Award for lacrosse.
The Collegiate Women Sports Awards spotlight female track and field champions considered the “best of the best” in college athletics. The Honda Sport Award also recognizes community involvement and academic excellence in addition to athletic achievement. This year’s ceremony marked the 46th annual presentation of the Honda Cup awards.
On June 14, Ortega was named the winner of the prestigious award by administrators from more than 1,000 NCAA member schools. She won the award over lacrosse finalists Charlotte North from Boston College, Emily Sterling from the University of Maryland and teammate Ally Mastroianni.
“To be selected from this incredible group of finalists is truly gratifying,” Ortega said in a press release. “I’m part of an amazing team sport and I get that from the teammates I’ve shared my accomplishments with, and I’m both humbled and grateful to have been chosen.”
Ortega is only the second Tar Heel to win the lacrosse award. Kara Cannizzaro, a former player who is now part of the team’s coaching staff, won the Honda award in 2013.
Ortega is no stranger to success.
In her record-breaking final season, Ortega also received the 2022 ACC Forward of the Year, ACC Tournament MVP, All ACC First Team and Unanimous First Team All America Honors. from Inside Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse and Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse. Coaches Association.
Her final season solidified Ortega as UNC’s career leader in goals and points and the only player in program history to earn All-America honors five times. Ortega also finished her career first in ACC history with 466 career points and finished second to Katie Hoeg at UNC in career assists. She also has 113 points on 69 goals and 44 assists on the season, a UNC record for scoring in a single season.
Since his first game as a Tar Heel in 2018, Ortega has started in every one of his matchups, breaking another school record for starts and games played. Ortega’s five years as a Tar Heel culminated this spring with a 12-11 NCAA championship win over Boston College, the program’s first national championship since 2013.
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