INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The NCAA proudly announces the recipients of its 2026 NCAA Honors, recognizing extraordinary current and former student-athletes, coaches, and administrators whose achievements exemplify the spirit and values of collegiate athletics. This year’s honorees span a wide range of sports, backgrounds, and accomplishments, united by their commitment to leadership, resilience, and service. Among this distinguished group is Franklin Pierce University defender Aino Martikainen, who has been named the Division II female recipient of the NCAA Impact Award, one of the most prestigious individual honors in college athletics.
Formerly known as Today’s Top 10, the NCAA Impact Award celebrates one exceptional male and one exceptional female senior student-athlete from each division who exemplify the highest standards of athletic excellence, academic achievement, leadership, and service. Martikainen’s selection reflects an extraordinary career that has left a lasting legacy on both Franklin Pierce University and Division II women’s soccer.
A three-year starter and team captain, Martikainen anchored the Ravens’ defense throughout her career, starting all 65 matches and helping Franklin Pierce become one of the top defensive programs in the nation. She was twice named both a D2CCA First-Team All-American and a United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American, while also earning three United Soccer Coaches All-Region and All-Northeast-10 First-Team honors. In 2024, she captured her second NE10 Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming just the second Raven in program history to win the distinction multiple times. Under her leadership, Franklin Pierce won two NCAA East Region titles and advanced to the 2024 NCAA Final Four, where she played every minute of the national semifinal against eventual champion Cal Poly Pomona.
Equally accomplished off the field, Martikainen graduated with a 3.90 GPA in psychology before earning her MBA in health administration with a 3.66 GPA. She was twice named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team, received the NE10 Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence, and earned multiple Academic All-District and Academic All-Conference selections. Beyond academics, she made a significant impact as a campus leader, serving two years on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, including a term as Secretary, while championing mental health awareness and peer mentorship initiatives.
Earlier this year, Martikainen was named the 2025 NE10 Woman of the Year, becoming only the second student-athlete in Franklin Pierce history to receive that honor, joining women’s basketball legend Jo Leedham (2010). Her combination of athletic dominance, academic distinction, and community leadership made her a natural choice for the NCAA Impact Award — the pinnacle of student-athlete recognition.
Martikainen and her fellow 2026 NCAA Honors recipients will be celebrated at the NCAA Convention in January in the Washington, D.C. area.
Release provided by Franklin Pierce athletics.
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