University of Tennessee Athletics
NCAA Grants Wilkinson 2015 Eligibility
November 06, 2014 | Soccer
INDIANAPOLIS - On Wednesday, the NCAA granted Tennessee forward Hannah Wilkinson an athletics activity waiver, extending her eligibility to play through the 2015 soccer season.
Wilkinson enrolled at the University of Tennessee in the fall of 2012 and the NCAA assigned her sophomore playing status. Wilkinson had previously attended classes at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand for one year.
Following an NCAA appeal process, Wilkinson received news after Tennessee's thrilling upset of No. 2 seed Florida in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday that she had been granted the athletics activity waiver to continue her Tennessee soccer career for one more year.
"I'm truly thankful to be granted another opportunity to play with such a strong and driven team," Wilkinson said. "I cannot wait for another exciting journey through the SEC and the NCAA!"
Hailing from Whangarei, New Zealand, Wilkinson has been one of the most dynamic players in the SEC with 20 goals, nine assists and eight game-winners since 2012. In 2012, she was named an NSCAA All-American and a First-Team All-SEC selection. Wilkinson has earned Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week honors twice in her career (Oct. 22, 2012, Sept. 3, 2013) and she has twice been named the SEC Player of the week (Oct. 22, 2012, Sept. 3, 2013). She has been on the NSCAA MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List in 2013 and 2014 and Top Drawer Soccer ranked her as the No. 36 player in the nation in its Midseason Top 100.
Additionally, Wilkinson has brought a wealth of skill and soccer prowess to the Tennessee program as a member of the New Zealand Women's National Team. She made her senior national team debut in 2010 and has been a staple for the Football Ferns ever since, playing in the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, the 2012 London Olympics, the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and in various international tournaments and friendlies. In 2013, Wilkinson scored a pair of goals against the U.S. Women's National Team in a pair of stateside friendlies, including an 87th-minute equalizer past a diving Hope Solo on Oct. 30, 2013, to give the Kiwis a 1-1 draw with the U.S.
