Teammates Doris Lemngole and Hilda Olemomoi from the University of Alabama, Olivia Markezich of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Florida’s Parker Valby are the four finalists for the Class of 2024 Honda Sport Award for Cross Country 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 48 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 2024 Honda Cup which will be presented during the live telecast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network in June.
The cross country finalists were selected from the top finishes at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championship. The Honda Sport award winner for cross country will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Lemngole, a freshman, was the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championship individual runner-up and helped her team to a seventh-place finish overall. She is a 2023 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American and recorded two first-place finishes in 2023. The rookie was named the 2023 SEC Woman’s Freshman of the Year and is a First Team All-SEC honoree.
Teammate, Olemomoi, finished in fourth place at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championship and earned 2023 USTFCCCA All-America honors. The sophomore is a two-time First Team All-SEC honoree and won bronze at the 2023 SEC Championship. She also placed third at the NCAA South Regional Championship.
Markezich, a senior from Woodinville, Wash., finished the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championship in third place and led her team to a fourth-place finish. She earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for the third time in her career and captured the 2023 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship individual title. Off the course, she is a three-time All-ACC Cross Country Academic Team member.
Valby, a two-time Honda Award finalist for Cross Country, captured the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Individual Championship title after a runner-up finish in 2022. The junior from Tampa, Fla., is a three-time USTFCCCA All-American in Cross Country and was twice named the SEC Women’s Runner of the Year. This season, she had four first place finishes and is a USTFCCCA and SEC All-Academic performer.
The CWSA, entering its 48th 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/.