Gretchen Walsh Wins Honda Cup as Collegiate Athlete of the Year
Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh on Monday was named the winner of the Honda Cup as the collegiate women’s athlete of the year.
The 49th annual award was given by at the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards presented by Honda. The award is presented annually to the top athletes in 12 NCAA-sponsored sports, ad those 12 are then candidates for an athlete of the year by a panel of more than 1,000 administrations for NCAA institutions.
Walsh is the ninth swimmer to win the Honda Cup, joining an illustrious group: Simone Manuel (2018), Katie Ledecky (2017), Missy Franklin (2015), Tara Kirk (2004), Christina Teuscher (2000), Mary T. Meagher (1987), Tracy Caulkins (1982 and a tie in 1984) and Jill Sterkel (1981).
She is the second Virginia athlete to win the award, joining Dawn Staley in 1991. Walsh is the first ACC athlete to take home the award since North Carolina soccer player Mia Hamm in 1994. Walsh was also nominated for an ESPY Award last week.
“I feel like I’m on cloud nine right now,” Walsh said on CBS Sports Network’s broadcast. “Honestly, being nominated for this award last year was a big deal to me. To win it this year is obviously unreal. It’s interesting this sport, you know, it’s all year round, and it feels like it never stops. But to have these moments of knowing that all the hard work and the never-ending training is coming to fruition, and it’s worth it. It’s really nice to have this recognition and to win this award among such an amazing group of athletes. And these women, all of us, different disciplines, different sports, but just excelling in all fields, it is really cool to be represented in a group like this.”
The moment Gretchen Walsh won the Honda Cup!#GoHoos | @UVA pic.twitter.com/XHKCp2rxnU
— Virginia Cavaliers (@VirginiaSports) July 1, 2025
Walsh, who won the swimming Honda Award for the second straight year, beat out UConn basketball player Paige Bueckers and Texas Tech softball player NiJaree Canaday as the other finalists.
Walsh is the two-time CSCAA National Swimmer of the Year, having won NCAA titles in all four of her collegiate seasons. She won seven NCAA championships in 2025, including the individual 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. She is a 25-time NCAA champion, three short of the maximum possible number for her four seasons, and went 16-for-16 in NCAA relays with the Cavaliers.
Walsh won two silver and two gold medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024. She graduated this year with four NCAA records (50 free, 100 free, 100 back, 100 fly) and a leg on all five NCAA record relays. She currently holds five American records in short-course yards, three American records and three U.S. Open records in long-course meters and five American records and three U.S. Open records in short-course meters. She is the world record holder in the women’s 100 fly, set in May, as well as the SCM 50 free, 50 fly, 100 fly and 100 individual medley, among 13 world records in the last year.
Walsh graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree from the McIntire School of Commerce with a minor in mathematics.
“I feel like this is a win for swimming as well, as much as it is for myself,” Walsh said. “I feel like I always take a lot of pride in representing the people who have come before me in the sport, especially women who have, so to be amongst that list of names is so cool. I know Katie Ledecky is still swimming, but she’s always been such a great mentor for me, especially on these team trips that we take. Missy Franklin, amazing. I mean, she’s just got the personality that everyone dreams to have in such a difficult sport. And then, of course, I used to swim back in the same pool that Tracy Caulkins grew up swimming in. So that’s definitely a full circle moment for me.”