Virginia’s Alex Walsh, Kate Douglass Lead Four Honda Award Finalists
The Virginia duo of Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass are among four finalists for the Class of 2022 Honda Sport Award for Women’s Swimming Diving. They’re joined by NC State’s Katharine Berkoff and Indiana diver Tarrin Gilliland, as announced Monday by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The annual award crowns a top Division I athlete in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. Those winners become finalists for the Collegiate Women Athlete of the Year. Swimmers to earn Honda Cup honors include Simone Manuel (2018), Katie Ledecky (2017), Missy Franklin (2015) and Tara Kirk (2004).
This year’s awards will be telecast on CBS Sports Network as part of the Honda Cup presentation at the end of the academic year. The finalists were culled from a panel of coaches and experts overseen by CSCAA. Administrators from the NCAA’s 1,000 member schools will vote on a winner.
Berkoff set an American record in the 100 backstroke at NCAAs, her second win of that event. The junior from Missoula, Mont., is a four-time NCAA champion and a 19-time All-American. The 18-time All-ACC honoree is a three-time conference champ in the 100 back.
Douglass was the ACC Women’s Swimmer of the Year and CSCAA Women’s Swimmer of the Year in 2022, leading the Cavaliers to championships at both meets. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 IM set American records in three events at NCAAs to go with four relay golds. She won the 50 free, 100 fly and 200 breast, an all-but-unprecedented triple. The junior from Pelham, N.Y., is a 21-time All-American and two-time NCAA team champion.
Walsh has been on both of those championship efforts, a two-time winner of the 200 IM at NCAAs. She set an American record in the event this year. A sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., she was the ACC Swimmer of the Meet in 2022, winning six championships. She’s a nine-time NCAA champion.
Gilliland hopes to make it back-to-back diver wins after Sarah Bacon of Minnesota took the honor last year. The sophomore from Midland, Tex., was named the 2022 CSCAA Women’s Diver of the Year after repeating as NCAA platform champion. Also a Big 10 champ in the event this year, she’s a six-time All-American in two seasons.