STANFORD, Calif. - Senior communication major Simone Manuel was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Women's Swimming and Diving as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) on Friday.
"I am humbled and grateful to be a part of CWSA Class of 2018," Manuel said. "It is a huge honor to be the recipient of the Honda Sports Award for women's swimming. Being nominated along with the other three women, Ella, Katie, and Lilly, who are just as deserving of this award makes it all the more special.
"Although I am the individual receiving this prestigious award, it would not be possible without the support of my family, incredible teammates, amazing coaches, and the outstanding support staff at Stanford, who push and support me every day to be my best. Our team had a historic championship season this year, and there's no better way to represent all that my team stands for than to cap it off with this award as "the best of the best in collegiate athletics."
Manuel is the 10th Cardinal to win this award, joining Katie Ledecky last year, Felicia Lee (2014), Julia Smit (2010), Tara Kirk (2004), Misty Hyman (1998, 2001), Janel Jorgensen (1993), Summer Sanders (1992), Janet Evans (1990), Jenna Johnson (1986, 1989).
Stanford is the first school with back-to-back winners of this award since Georgia in 2006-07. The Cardinal was also the second program with three of the four finalists for a Honda Sport Award, joining Arizona women's golf from 2000-01. The other finalists included teammates Ella Eastin and Ledecky, and Lilly King (Indiana).
"It was an honor and a testament to our entire team to have three nominees for this award," said Paul A. Violich Director of Women's Swimming Greg Meehan. "I am extremely proud of Simone, Katie and Ella for all they accomplished in and out of the pool this year. Simone is an ideal representative of the Honda Sport Award, which has shown unparalleled support of women's college athletics for more than four decades. She has been exceptional throughout her career at Stanford, and is a role model for so many."
Manuel is a three-time Honda Award nominee and a 14-time NCAA champion, including six national titles at the 2018 NCAA Championships. A team captain from Sugar Land, Texas, Manuel is a 21-time All-American and was just the fifth woman to win three NCAA titles in the 100-yard freestyle, winning each year she competed.
She finished her career with six American records, seven NCAA records and seven school records and was a member of two NCAA championship teams and two Pac-12 championship squads.
The first African-American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming, Manuel holds four Olympic medals (two gold, two silver).
Manuel was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 42 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies "the best of the best in collegiate athletics".
With this honor, Manuel becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2018 Honda Cup which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 25, 2018, in downtown Los Angeles.
The CWSA, in its 42nd year, honors the nation's top NCAA women athletes recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.1 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women's athletics programs at the institutions.
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