Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh Named Honda Sport Award Finalists – Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.— Virginia senior Kate Douglass and sophomore Gretchen Walsh have been named 2023 Honda Award finalists for swimming and diving, Chris Voelz, executive director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA), announced today.

Douglass and Walsh were instrumental in Virginia’s third straight NCAA championship. The duo achieved five individual NCAA titles and four relay championships together.

Douglass, the 2022 Honda Award winner, is a two-time Honda Award nominee and a two-time CSCAA and ACC Swimmer of the Year. A Pelham, NY native, he has won 15 NCAA titles and accumulated 28 All-America honors. She led the Cavaliers with three singles wins at the 2023 NCAA championship and set American, NCAA, and US Open records in all three. She was also part of UVA’s fourth consecutive ACC championship, winning three ACC singles titles for a total of 25 ACC titles (singles and relay). Douglass is the 2023 ACC Women’s Most Valuable Swimmer and was named to the CSC First Team Academic All-America.

Walsh won two individual championships (100 back, 100 clear) and four relay championships at the 2023 NCAA championship. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, he is an 11-time NCAA champion and a two-time 100 Free champion. She has received 14 All-America honors and set 100-free and 400-free relay records at the American, NCAA, and US Open. She is an eight-time ACC Champion and 14-time All-ACC Champion. Walsh won the ACC championship in the 100 backstroke with a hit record.

Presented annually for the past 47 years by the CWSA to the top female athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, the Honda Sport Award means “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The sports award winner will be a finalist for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2023 Honda Cup, presented during the live broadcast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards by Honda on Monday, May 26 at 9 p.m. ET/6 PT on CBS Sports Network.

The swim and dive finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). The Honda Sport Award winner for swimming and diving will be announced later this week after administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools voted. Each NCAA member institution has one vote.