University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Babcock Finishes As Top Three Finalist for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year
7/27/2026 8:55:00 PM | Volleyball
NEW YORK – Olivia Babcock was named one of three finalists for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) announced Monday live on CBS Sports Network.
The Top Three are chosen from among the 12 Honda Sport Award winners across the NCAA calendar year. Babcock earned her spot after being named the volleyball recipient of the Honda Sport Award, given annually to the top collegiate female athlete in each of 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports.
Babcock was joined in the Top Three by UCLA's Lauren Betts and Nebraska's Jordyn Frahm. The trio was considered by the CWSA Board of Directors for the Honda Cup, the organization's highest honor, which was ultimately presented to Betts.
The Honda Cup has previously been awarded to athletes such as Mia Hamm, Cheryl Miller, Tara Kirk, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Katie Ledecky and Candace Parker.
Babcock was one of three ACC representatives among the 12 Honda Sport Award winners, alongside Florida State soccer's Jordynn Dudley and Stanford swimming & diving's Torri Huske.
Babcock's Honda Sport Award recognition followed a historic junior season. She became just the fifth player in women's volleyball history to win back-to-back AVCA National Player of the Year honors, and also earned ACC Player of the Year, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year, AVCA Rightside Hitter of the Year, the Jordan Larson/900 Square Feet National Player of the Year award, Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player and AAU Sullivan Award Finalist recognition.
Babcock led the Pitt offense with 5.97 points per set, 5.17 kills per set and 2.09 digs per set. She broke the program's single-match kills record twice — with 41 kills at No. 4 Louisville and 45 at No. 21 North Carolina — surpassing the previous mark of 37, set by Ann Marie Lucanie in 1991. She also holds Pitt's single-season and rally-scoring-era career kills records with 646.
HONDA SPORT AWARD WINNERS
Soccer: Jordynn Dudley, Florida State
Volleyball: Olivia Babcock, Pitt
Cross country: Doris Lemngole, Alabama
Field hockey: Maddie Zimmer, Northwestern
Gymnastics: Faith Torrez, Oklahoma
Basketball: Lauren Betts, UCLA
Swimming & Diving: Torri Huske, Stanford
Lacrosse: Madison Taylor, Northwestern
Softball: Jordyn Frahm, Nebraska
Golf: Farah O'Keefe, Texas
Tennis: Lucciana Perez, Texas A&M
Track and Field: Axelina Johansson, Nebraska
