Franklin Pierce鈥檚 Aino Martikainen Named NCAA Division II Impact Award Recipient
Nov 5, 2025
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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 selection
reflects an extraordinary career that has left a lasting legacy on both Franklin Pierce
University and Division II women鈥檚 soccer.
A three-year starter and team captain, Martikainen anchored the Ravens鈥� 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鈥� 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鈥檚 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 鈥� 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.