UNC fifth-year senior Sara Daavettila was selected Thursday as the winner of the Honda Sport Award for women’s tennis, becoming the second Tar Heel to win a Honda Award this season.

The Honda Sport Award is presented annually to the top female athlete across 12 different NCAA sports. UNC junior Erin Matson was recently named the winner for field hockey after leading the Tar Heels to their third straight national championship.

Daavettila earns the honor after entering the NCAA Singles Tournament as the top overall seed and making just the fifth semifinal appearance in UNC history before falling to eventual national champion Emma Navarro of Virginia,

The Michigan native was the ACC Player of the Year in 2021 and helped guide the Tar Heels to an ACC title and the top overall seed in the NCAA Team Championship. UNC was 30-0 entering the tournament semifinals before suffering an upset loss to Pepperdine.

She finishes her UNC career as a seven-time ITA All-American with a singles record of 149-35 and ranks second on the school’s all-time list.

By winning the Honda Sport Award, Daavettila joins Matson as a nominee for this year’s Honda Cup — which recognizes the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

“It’s an honor to receive the Honda Sport Award for Tennis,” Daavettila said. “I’m very grateful and humbled to be selected among so many incredible athletes and after such a challenging year for everyone. Thank you to Carolina, my family, coaches, teammates, the amazing athletic department and staff, and the Carolina community.

“The culture at UNC is truly special and imparts important life values and provides unique opportunities,” she added. “We play for the love of our sport, each other, and our incredible university. Carolina is a family and I’m blessed to be a part of it. The Honda Award is special because it recognizes more than just athletic achievements and it is a privilege to receive it representing Carolina.”

UNC women’s lacrosse goalie Taylor Moreno is also nominated for a Honda Sport Award.

 

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
Sara Daavettila Named a Honda Sport Award Finalist in Women's Tennis
Fresh off becoming just the fifth Tar Heel woman to ever reach the semifinals of the NCAA Singles Tournament last week, UNC senior Sara Daavettila was selected Tuesday as one of four finalists for the Honda Sport Award in women’s tennis. The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually for 45 years to the top […]
Nine Tar Heels Among Final Women's Tennis Individual Rankings of 2021
A total of nine Tar Heels were among the final Oracle ITA Division I Women’s Tennis rankings of the 2021 season, including eight in the singles rankings. The rankings were revealed on Wednesday, with fifth-year seniors Sara Daavettila and Alexa Graham leading the way. Daavettila — who became just the fifth Tar Heel to ever […]
Erin Matson Wins Second Consecutive Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey
UNC junior forward Erin Matson earned her second consecutive Honda Sport Award for field hockey on Wednesday, an honor which recognizes the top women’s athletes in the country across 12 different NCAA sports. Matson led the Tar Heels to their third consecutive national championship last month, scoring the overtime game-winner against Michigan in the title […]
Jones, Scotty Become Second UNC Doubles Pairing to Reach NCAA Title Match
On an afternoon where top-seeded Sara Daavettila came up short in the semifinals of the NCAA Women’s Singles Tournament, the UNC duo of Makenna Jones and Elizabeth Scotty kept the Tar Heels’ national title hopes alive on Thursday in Orlando with a win in the semifinals of the NCAA Doubles Tournament. Jones and Scotty — […]
Women's Tennis: No. 1 UNC Moves Past Old Dominion Into NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Saturday saw the top-ranked UNC women’s tennis team move one step closer toward its ultimate goal of an NCAA championship, as the Tar Heels made easy work of Old Dominion in Chapel Hill on the way to a 4-0 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. UNC won the doubles point to gain […]
No. 1 UNC Women's Tennis Breezes Past South Carolina State in First Round of NCAA Tournament
The top-ranked UNC women’s tennis team cruised to a 4-0 victory over South Carolina State on Friday afternoon in Chapel Hill, advancing to the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament. UNC wrapped up the doubles point to begin the match with a pair of 6-0 victories, then received three straight singles wins in quick […]
Top-Seeded UNC Cruises Past No. 4 Seed Virginia in ACC Women's Tennis Semifinals
In pursuit of the program’s fifth consecutive ACC title this weekend in Rome, Georgia, the top-seeded UNC women’s tennis team rolled past No. 4 seed Virginia in Saturday morning’s semifinals by a score of 4-1. The Tar Heels took an early lead after winning the doubles point, then went ahead 3-0 after victories in singles […]
No. 1 UNC Women's Tennis Defeats Wake Forest, Closes Regular Season Undefeated
The top-ranked UNC women’s tennis team wrapped up its regular season with a perfect record at home on Friday afternoon, defeating Wake Forest by a score of 7-0. With the win, the Tar Heels end the regular season 23-0 and extended their program record to 41 consecutive dual match victories overall. UNC won the doubles […]
Women's Tennis: No. 1 UNC Sweeps Boston College to Claim ACC Regular Season Title
With a dominant 7-0 victory on the road over Boston College on Sunday, the top-ranked UNC women’s tennis team clinched its seventh ACC regular season title in the last eight years. For the Tar Heels (22-0), this also marks their 40th consecutive dual match win overall–a program record that includes an 18-0 record during the […]
Women's Tennis: No. 1 UNC Stays Unbeaten With Win at Syracuse
The top-ranked UNC women’s tennis team took care of business on the road Friday afternoon, rolling to a 6-1 victory over Syracuse. With the victory, the Tar Heels are now 21-0 this season and have won their last 39 dual matches overall including last season’s perfect 18-0 mark. After winning the doubles point to begin […]
›