Stanford Mates Lucy Bell, Torri Huske Lead Honda Award Finalists
Stanford teammates Lucy Bell and Torri Huske were two of four finalists for the Class of 2026 Honda Sport Award in swimming and diving revealed on Monday.
They’re joined by Virginia’s Claire Curzan and South Carolina diver Sophie Verzyl.
The Honda Sport Award names one most outstanding athlete in each of the 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, who then become finalists for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year, awarded in a ceremony on July 27.
Bell, a senior, secured NCAA championships in the 200 individual medley and 200 breaststroke last week at Georgia Tech. She repeated as the 200 breast winner. She’s a 12-time All-American who helped Stanford finish second in the team competition. She won ACC titles in the 200 breast and 400 IM, the latter a meet record.
Curzan, a junior, helped Virginia secure its sixth consecutive NCAA championship. She ran her tally to 13 NCAA championships and 21 All-Americans with six gold medals at NCAAs. Curzan set the meet record and was just .01 off her NCAA record in winning the 200 backstroke. She set the meet record on the way to a win in the 100 back and she finished second to Huske in the 100 fly in addition to the four relay titles.
Huske was named the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Swimmer of the Year after three individual title at NCAAs. The redshirt senior had five career national titles and 28 all-time All-America nods to go with six Olympic medals over two trips to the Games. She won the 50 free, 100 free (in the second-fastest time in history) and 100 butterfly at NCAAs.
Verzyl earned CSCAA’s diving award. She won her first NCAA title on 3-meter springboard and came within .25 points of winning 1-meter, earning a silver medal. She had completed the springboard sweep at the SEC Championships.
As the CWSA marks its 50th anniversary, the organization continues its longstanding mission to honor excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since 1986, Honda has contributed more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to support women’s athletics programs nationwide.
For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. The company’s mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life’s potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering an inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety, and community.
