Gretchen Walsh Wins Honda Cup as College Female Athlete

Gretchen Walsh wins the 2025 Honda Cup as college female athlete of the year. She beat out former UConn women's basketball guard Paige Bueckers and Texas Tech softball pitcher NiJaree Canady for the award.

What happened?

Gretchen Walsh was named the recipient of the 2025 Honda Cup on June 30. The award is given annually to the country's top collegiate female athlete. She is the second Virginia athlete to win the Honda Cup, after South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley.

Why it matters for Gretchen Walsh

The award is her second Honda Sport Award in a matter of months, as she was named the 2025 Honda Sport Award winner for swimming & diving on April 22. Gretchen Walsh won a total of 25 NCAA event championships and at the 2024 Paris Olympics won two gold and two silver medals. She won gold as part of the 400-meter mixed relay and the 400 medley relay teams, both of which set world records.

What comes next?

In May 2025, Gretchen Walsh broke her own world record in the 100 butterfly, winning in 55.09 seconds at the Tyr Pro Swim Series meet. Gretchen Walsh said on the CBS Sports Network in her acceptance speech, "I feel like I'm on cloud 9 right now, honestly." The Harpeth Hall School product capped off her illustrious collegiate career on the Virginia swimming and diving team this season. She helped Virginia win its fifth straight national women's title. Gretchen Walsh is the ninth swimmer overall to win the award, and the first since Stanford's Simone Manuel in 2018.