The Collegiate Women Sports Awards have nominated 4 swimmers for the Honda Sports Award for Swimming & Diving, representing the best collegiate athletes in the country.
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 40 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2016 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on June 27, 2016, in the Founders’ Room at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California in downtown Los, Angeles. The winner is decided after voting by administrators from each of the more than 1000 NCAA member institutions.
2017 Nominees:
- Lilly King, Indiana
- Katie Ledecky, Stanford
- Simone Manuel, Stanford
- Kathleen Baker, Cal
King repeated as the NCAA Champion in both the 100 and 200 yard breaststrokes in Indianapolis, and set the American, NCAA, and U.S. Open Records in the 200 breaststroke in 2:03.18. The dual Olympic gold medalist now has 4 NCAA titles and 8 All-American awards to her name.
Ledecky, the most anticipated collegiate swimming recruit of her generation (if not longer) won 3 individual NCAA titles as just a freshman: the 500 free, the 1650 free, and the 200 free, which was a tie between her and Louisville’s Mallory Comerford. She broke the NCAA Record in the 1650 free, swam the fastest time in history in the 500 free, and was a part of American and NCAA Record setting 400 and 800 free relays.
Manuel, a Stanford redshirt junior, was the 2017 Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year and won 4 NCAA titles: the 50 and 100 free individually, plus the same record-setting 400 and 800 free relays as Ledecky. After sitting out last season, like Ledecky, to focus on Olympic preparation, she returned to the NCAA better-than-ever and became the first woman under 46 seconds in the 100 yard freestyle.
Baker, another 2016 U.S. Olympian, won the CSCAA’s Swimmer of the Year award. She was the only triple individual titlist at NCAAs who didn’t have a tie for one of her finishes, winning the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM.
Three of the four swimmers (Ledecky, Manuel, and Baker) are not only from Pac-12 teams, but they’re from rival teams both in the northern California Bay Area. Incidentally, though, all four swimmers are from the Eastern half of the United States: Manuel is from a suburb of Houston, Baker is from Charlotte, King is an Indiana native, and Ledecky grew up in the Washington D.C. area.
King was also nominated for this award last season, though Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell ultimately won it.
All past Honda Sports Award Winners:
| 2015-16 | Kelsi Worrell, University of Louisville |
| 2014-15 | Missy Franklin, University of California |
| 2013-14 | Felicia Lee, Stanford University |
| 2012-13 | Allison Schmitt, University of Georgia |
| 2011-12 | Caitlin Leverenz, University of California |
| 2010-11 | Katinka Hosszu, University of Southern California |
| 2009-10 | Julia Smit, Stanford University |
| 2008-09 | Dana Vollmer, University of California |
| 2007-08 | Caroline Burckle, University of Florida |
| 2006-07 | Kara Lynn Joyce, University of Georgia |
| 2005-06 | Mary DeScenza, University of Georgia |
| 2004-05 | Kirsty Coventry, Auburn University |
| 2003-04 | Tara Kirk, Stanford University |
| 2002-03 | Natalie Coughlin, University of California |
| 2001-02 | Natalie Coughlin, University of California |
| 2000-01 | Misty Hyman, Stanford University |
| 1999-00 | Cristina Teuscher, Columbia University |
| 1998-99 | Martina Moravcova, Southern Methodist University |
| 1997-98 | Misty Hyman, Stanford University |
| 1996-97 | Kristine Quance, University of Southern California |
| 1995-96 | Kristine Quance, University of Southern California |
| 1994-95 | Jenny Thompson, Stanford University |
| 1993-94 | Nicole Haislette, University of Florida |
| 1992-93 | Janel Jorgensen, Stanford University |
| 1991-92 | Summer Sanders, Stanford University |
| 1990-91 | Leigh Ann Fetter, University of Texas |
| 1989-90 | Janet Evans, Stanford University |
| 1988-89 | Jenna Johnson, Stanford University |
| 1987-88 | Betsy Mitchell, University of Texas |
| 1986-87 | Mary T. Meagher, University of California |
| 1985-86 | Jenna Johnson, Stanford University |
| 1984-85 | Mary T. Meagher, University of California |
| 1983-84 | Tracy Caulkins, University of Florida |
| 1982-83 | Tracy Caulkins, University of Florida |
| 1981-82 | Tracy Caulkins, University of Florida |
| 1980-81 | Jill Sterkel, University of Texas |
| 1979-80 | Jill Sterkel, University of Texas |
| 1978-79 | Joan Pennington, University of Texas |
| 1977-78 | Renee Laravie, University of Florida |
| 1976-77 | Melissa Belote, Arizona State University |
If it is specific to college swimming, then I am surprised not Ella Eastin nominated as well. 2- 1st place, 1- 2nd place, 2- American records (individual & relay), right? Seems to be right up there with some of the other girls college achievements.
Please NOT Lilly
presented on a live telecast on June 27, 2016….. maybe S/B June 27, 2017
I don’t believe King represents “the best of the best” for the NCAA as a new entire package. No doubt of her dominance in the actual swimming portion, but as far as representing the sport in a positive and progressive way, all other nominees are more suited.