Aliyah Boston from the University of South Carolina, University of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark,  Ryne Howard from the University of Kentucky and Baylor University’s NaLyssa Smith are the four finalists for the Class of 2022 Honda Sport Award for Women’s Basketball as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) today. 

The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 46 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 2022 Honda Cup which will be presented on a telecast on CBS Sports Network.

The women’s basketball finalists were selected by a panel of coaches and experts from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The Honda Sport award winner for women’s basketball will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.  

Boston, a junior hailing from St. Thomas, USVI, was the 2022 consensus National Player of the Year and unanimous First Team All-American. She became the first player to earn both Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors from Naismith after earning the 2022 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. The forward was the 2022 NCAA Most Outstanding Player after leading South Carolina to its second national championship title. 

A sophomore from West Des Moines, Iowa, Clark was a 2022 Naismith and Wade Trophy finalist and is a two-time First Team All-American, earning the honor her freshman year as well. The guard from captured the 2022 Lieberman Point Guard Award and is a two-time winner of the Dawn Staley Award- both given to the top point guard in the country. At Iowa, she has recorded six career triple-doubles and became the fastest Division I player (men’s or women’s) to reach 1,500 career points.

Howard is a two-time Honda Award finalist for basketball and a 2022 Naismith, Wade Trophy and Cheryl Miller Award finalist. The senior from Cleveland, Tenn., is a three-time First Team All-American and earned the 2022 SEC Tournament MVP honor after leading her Wildcats past South Carolina in the SEC Championship game to claim the school’s second title. She entered the NCAA Tournament as the only player in the nation with over 600+ points, 200+ rebounds, 100+ assists, 70+ steals and 35+ blocks.

Smith was the 2021 Honda Award Winner for Women’s Basketball and a two-time winner of the Katrina McClain Award, given to the top power forward in the country.  Hailing from Converse, Texas, she was twice named the Big 12 Player of the Year and is a two-time First Team All-American. The senior led Baylor to its 13th Big 12 regular-season title and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. A Wooden Award finalist, she posted 25 double-doubles setting a single-season Baylor record and ranked third nationally.  

The CWSA, entering its 46th year, has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.  Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs.  

About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility

For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. Honda’s mission is to create products and services that improve the lives of people while conducting its business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Accordingly, Honda believes in helping people reach their life’s potential through its focus on improving children’s health, inspiring underrepresented students, preserving the environment for future generations, creating safety for everyone, and strengthening our communities. Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.