Jordyn Bahl from the University of Nebraska, Texas Tech University’s NiJaree Canady, Bri Ellis of the University of Arkansas and Karlyn Pickens from the University of Tennessee have been announced as the four finalists for the Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award for Softball, as revealed 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, recognizing the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and symbolizing “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The recipient of the sport award will become a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2025 Honda Cup, which will be presented during the live broadcast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on June 30, at 7 pm ET, on CBS Sports Network.
The softball finalists were chosen by a panel of experts and coaches from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Honda Sport award winner for softball will be announced later this week after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
Bahl, a junior pitcher/utility from Papillion, Neb., was named the 2025 NFCA DI Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year. The three-time NFCA First Team All-American made history as the first NCAA player with 20+ wins and 20+ home runs in a single season. Bahl also set school records in batting average (.462), slugging (.988), and home runs (23), while ranking among national leaders in strikeouts (286) and ERA (1.56).
Canady, a pitcher/utility hailing from Topeka, Kan., was named the 2025 NFCA Pitcher of the Year and helped lead her team to its first WCWS appearance. A two-time NFCA First Team All-American and 2025 Big 12 Tournament MVP, Canady leads the nation in ERA (0.89), wins (30), and hits allowed (3.65) entering the Women’s College World Series (WCWS). The junior was named the Class of 2025 Honda Award winner for Softball last season, making her a two-time Honda Award finalist.
Ellis earned 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and SEC Player of the Year honors. She hit .440 with 26 home runs and 72 RBIs, setting multiple program records. The senior infielder from Houston, Texas, also posted an OPS of 1.729—one of the highest single-season marks nationally since 2016—and was flawless defensively in SEC play for two straight seasons. Her 26 home runs, 72 RBI, 68 runs scored, 1.090 slugging percentage and .639 on-base percentage were single-season program records.
Pickens, a junior pitcher from Weaverville, N.C., is a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year and two-time NFCA First Team All-American. She led Tennessee back to the WCWS, throwing back-to-back complete game wins in the Super Regionals. Pickens enters the WCWS ranked second nationally in ERA (1.00), fifth in strikeouts (280), tied for seventh in shutouts (7) and eighth nationally in hits allowed per seven innings (4.22).
The CWSA, now in its 49th year, celebrates the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since its partnership began in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of award winners and nominees, supporting the growth and success of women’s athletics programs.
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Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.