The swimmer Gretchen Walsh was appointed Athlete Athlete Collegiate of the year on Monday night, limiting a career at the University of Virginia that included 25 total events of the NCAA events, nine of them individual.
Walsh received the Honda Cup during an awards ceremony. She is the ninth swimmer to win the award and the first from Simone Manuel in 2018.
The class of the three best finalists of 2025 included Walsh, Uconn's basketball player, Paige Bueckers and Texas Tex Texas Tech, Nijaree Canady launcher. The first three are voted for almost 1,000 schools from the NCAA, with the winner of the Honda Cup determined by the Board of Directors of the Sports Awards for Collegiate Women.
Walsh took Virginia to the 2025 NCAA female swimming title and won three individual titles. She is also the twice academic of ACC of the year for swimming and diving.
In the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Walsh won two gold medals and two plates, and established two world records.
“We are incredibly proud of their achievements both in the pool and in the classroom, and we hope to see her continue to increase while preparing for the World Championship and the 2028 Olympic Games,” said Chris Voel, executive director of the CWSA. “We are delighted to welcome Gretchen to the CWSA family, joining the elite group of swimmers who have earned this prestigious honor before her.”
Caitlin Clark won the two previous Honda glasses.
The previous winners include Jill Sterkel (1981), Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984), Mary T. Meagher (1987), Cristina Teuscher (2000), Tara Kirk (2004), Missy Franklin (2015), Katie Ledecky (2017) and Manuel (2018).
