Virginia’s Claire Curzan, Gretchen Walsh Headline Honda Award Finalists
The University of Virginia’s Claire Curzan and Gretchen Walsh lead four finalists for the 2025 Honda Award for Swimming and Diving, unveiled on Monday.
The Cavaliers are joined by Texas swimmer Jillian Cox and Miami diver Chiara Pellacani. Finalists were chosen by a panel from the College Swimming and Diving Association of America and will be voted on by administrators from more than 1,000 NCAA member schools.
Cox was outstanding as a freshman for the Longhorns. The Cedar Park, Texas, native won the 500 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle championships at the NCAA Championships. She won both of those events at the SEC Championships, leading the Longhorns to the title in their inaugural participation and their 13th consecutive conference title overall. Cox set program records in the 500 and 1,000 free and an SEC meet record in the 1,650.
Curzan won both backstroke events and four relay events at NCAAs. The sophomore from Cary, North Carolina, had won the 200 back title two years ago at Stanford. She was a vital part of Virginia’s fifth consecutive NCAA title.
Walsh won this award last year and is a finalist for the third consecutive year. She’s been a cornerstone of Virginia’s run of national titles, contributing another seven event wins this year. She won the 50 free, 100 free and 100 butterfly, plus four relays. She is a 25-time national champion and one of the most distinguished short-course swimmers in history.
Pellacani was named the 2025 CSCAA Diver of the Year for winning the 1-meter competition at the NCAA Championships and finishing as the runner-up on 3-meter. The Italian Olympian was the ACC Champion on the higher springboard and bronze medalist on 1-meter. A transfer from LSU, she’s a six-time conference medalist.
The Honda Award, in its 49th year, is presented annually to the top female athletes in 12 NCAA-sponsored sports. The sport winners become finalists for the Honda Cup as the year’s collegiate woman athlete of the year. That award will be presented at the end of the academic year, at the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on June 30, televised on CBS Sports Network.
