Darja Vidmanova, a senior from the University of Georgia, has been named the Honda Sport Award winner for Tennis, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 49 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, signifying “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The recipient of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2025 Honda Cup, which will be presented during a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 30, at 7 pm ET, in New York City.
Vidmanova was selected via a nationwide vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. The other finalists for this year’s award were DJ Bennet (Auburn), Mary Stoiana (Texas A&M) and Elza Tomase (Tennessee).
“Winning the Honda Award means so much to me — not just as a tennis player, but as a student-athlete who’s grown so much these past few years,” said Vidmanova. “I’m incredibly grateful for my coaches, teammates, family, and everyone who’s supported me along the way.”
Vidmanova captured the 2024-25 NCAA Singles National Championship, becoming the first Bulldog ever to win both the NCAA singles and doubles titles, having also claimed the doubles crown in 2024. A two-time Honda Award finalist, she helped lead Georgia to the 2025 NCAA Team Championship and was named the NCAA Tournament MVP, earning All-Tournament Team honors in both singles and doubles.
The Prague, Czech Republic native is a three-time ITA All-American in singles and a two-time All-American in doubles. She was named the 2025 SEC Player of the Year and is a three-time All-SEC honoree. Vidmanova held the No. 1 ITA collegiate singles ranking for nine consecutive weeks and finished the season ranked No. 1 in both singles and doubles.
The senior posted a 32-5 overall singles record this season (20-4 in duals) with a 24-4 mark against ranked opponents, while also going 24-4 in doubles, including 23-3 at the No. 1 spot. Off the court, Vidmanova earned recognition on the ITA All-Academic Team, was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, and was honored on the CSC Academic All-District Team.
“The Honda Award is the pinnacle of women’s collegiate sports and to see Darja be named the winner is a testament to the work that she has put in over the years,” said head coach Drake Bernstein. “She took strides each of her four years at Georgia and to see her close out her collegiate career with such a distinction is tremendous both for her and our program.”
The CWSA, now in its 49th year, continues to honor the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their exceptional athletic achievements, leadership, academic excellence, and dedication to community service. Since the inception of its partnership in 1986, Honda has contributed over $3.4 million in institutional grants to support women’s athletics programs at the universities of award winners and nominees.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation
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.
Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.