Emma Waddell, a junior from Williams College, was named the 2017 DIII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for Swimming & Diving as announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Waddell is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DIII Honda Woman Athlete of the Year. This will be voted on at the end of the academic year by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the CWSA program, now in its 41st year.

Hailing from Bangor, Maine, Waddell was named the 2017 NCAA Swimmer of the Meet at the NCAA Championships and earned the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) DIII Women’s Swimmer of the Year honors. Waddell captured two national championship titles in 2017 after winning the 50 free and the 100 butterfly for the second time in her career.

Overall, the junior has three career national championships and eight individual All-American titles. She has been a part of 12 relays in her three years and has earned All-America honors in all 12 attempts. She is a two-time Academic All-NESCAC honoree earning the award in both years she was eligible.

“I am honored to have been nominated for the 2017 DIII Honda Athlete of the Year award,” Waddell said. “I feel very proud and fortunate to be a member of the Williams College Swim & Dive team. My experience as a collegiate swimmer has been incredible, thanks in large part to my amazing teammates and coaches. I am already looking forward to my fourth and final season as an Eph.”

"Emma is a terrific teammate and a great talent," stated Eph head coach Steve Kuster. "She continues to work to improve and remains as motivated as ever. She is a racer through and through and loves getting up with teammates on relays. She stays calm under pressure and was outstanding this year at NCAA's."

All Honda Sports nominees from DIII and DII become a finalist for the prestigious 2017 Honda Woman Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in a live telecast on CBS Sports on June 26, 2017, in downtown Los Angeles. The Honda Sports nominees are recognized in 11 DIII and DII NCAA-sanctioned sports; cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field.

THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 41 years, 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.