Reiss named Honda ‘Athlete of Year’

Taylor Reiss, a senior outside hitter from the Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team, has been named the Division II Honda Athlete of the Year.
 It was announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
 Reiss will be presented with this honor on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m., Monday, June 24 in the Founders' Room at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California in downtown Los, Angeles.
 The honor was voted on by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the CWSA program.
 The CWSA, in its 43rd year, honors the nation's top NCAA women athletes recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.
Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.1 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women's athletics programs at the institutions.
 "I’m incredibly grateful and humbled to have been selected to receive the Honda Division II athlete of the year award," said Reiss.
"I would not have been able to reach all the successes I have throughout my volleyball career without my teammates and coaches.”
She added,“I want to thank my family, friends, and the community of Marshall for all of the support I have received throughout my college volleyball career, it has truly meant a lot to me. I will forever cherish my time spent at SMSU and all the great memories I have. I am honored to be able to end my volleyball career on a high note and to have been selected to receive this prestigious award.”
Reiss is a two-time AVCA DII National Player of the Year and the first-ever National Player of the Year at SMSU.
She is also a two-time DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for volleyball and a three-time first-team AVCA and CCA All-American. She is the first player in conference history to three-peat as the NSIC Player of the Year.
 During the 2018 season, Reiss ranked first in Division II in kills (664), points per set (6.42) and kills per set (5.72) and ranked second in attacks per set (14.45). She finished her four-year career at SMSU ranking second in team history in kills (2,146), second in kills per set (4.94), second in attempts (5,293), second in points (2,431.5) and ninth in hitting percentage (.309).
Off the court, she was a three-time NSIC All-Academic honoree and a 2018 second team CoSIDA Academic All-American as an exercise science major.
 “It is a significant honor for Honda to recognize Taylor as the winner of the prestigious DII Honda Athlete of the Year,” said SMSU head coach Terry Culhane.
“Taylor’s career speaks for itself and is one of a few who have been selected as the AVCA National Player of the Year two years in a row as well as a three-year winner of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference player of the year. Taylor is an exceptional athlete and has left her mark on Mustang volleyball forever.”