NEW YORK, N.Y. (theACC.com) - Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh was named the 2025 Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year, claiming the prestigious Honda Cup, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) announced on Monday, June 30.
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 49 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The CWSA Board of Directors then selects the Honda Cup Winner from the list of 12 as the nation’s best collegiate female athlete. Previous ACC winners include NC State’s Julie Shea (Track & Field) in 1980, Virginia’s Dawn Staley (Basketball) in 1991 and North Carolina’s Mia Hamm (Soccer) in 1994.
The ACC had three other Honda Sport Award winners this season: North Carolina’s Kate Faasse (Soccer), Pitt’s Olivia Babcock (Volleyball) and North Carolina’s Chloe Humphrey (Lacrosse). Walsh is the fourth Atlantic Coast Conference athlete to win the Honda Cup and the first since 1994.
"Congratulations to Gretchen Walsh on being awarded the prestigious Honda Cup,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Her remarkable achievements in the pool and dedication to excellence have made her one of the most decorated student-athletes in ACC and NCAA swimming history. Having four ACC student-athletes among the Honda Cup finalists is a testament to the strength of women’s sports in our league and the national impact of our female student-athletes.”
Walsh helped lead Virginia to its fifth straight national title at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving National Championships held at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way, Washington.
Walsh was named the 2025 CSCAA Women’s Swimmer of the Year for the second straight year after winning three individual titles at the NCAA Championships (50 free, 100 free, 100 fly) and setting three NCAA and American records. She was also a part of all four of the Cavaliers’ first-place relay teams, including the 200 medley relay team that set the meet, NCAA, American and US Open records.
Walsh also garnered ACC Women’s Swimmer of the Year laurels for the second straight year after earning three individual and four relay titles at the 2025 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships where she also claimed the ACC Women’s Swimming Most Valuable Swimmer Award.
The Nashville, Tennessee, native closed out her collegiate career as a 25-time NCAA Champion, 23-time ACC Champion, 28-time All-ACC honoree and 27-time All-American.
2024-25 Honda Sport Award Winners
Basketball: Paige Bueckers, UConn
Cross Country: Doris Lemngole, Alabama
Field Hockey: Maddie Zimmer, Northwestern
Golf: Maria José Marin, Arkansas
Gymnastics: Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma
Lacrosse: Chloe Humphrey, North Carolina
Soccer: Kate Faasse, North Carolina
Softball: NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech
Swimming & Diving: Gretchen Walsh, Virginia
Tennis: Darja Vidmanova, Georgia
Track & Field: Aaliyah Butler, Georgia
Volleyball: Olivia Babcock, Pitt