Olivia Soffer, a senior from Babson College, was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for Tennis as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
Soffer is now one of 11 finalists for this year’s prestigious award. This will be voted on at the end of the academic year by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the CWSA program, now in its 49th year.
“It’s an incredible honor to be named a finalist for the Honda Sports Award,” said Soffer. “I am beyond grateful to my coaches, teammates, and everyone who has supported me throughout my college tennis career. To be considered for an award recognizing so many inspiring women is truly humbling. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the unwavering support of the incredible women in my life - especially the ones I’ve had the privilege of learning from during my four years at Babson. I’m proud to represent my team, school, and the sport I love!”
Senior standout Soffer, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., closed out an exceptional collegiate career by being named the 2025 ITA Senior Player of the Year and Northeast Region Senior Player of the Year—the first player in program history to receive both national and regional senior honors.
Partnering with Matia Cristiani, Soffer captured back-to-back NCAA Division III National Championships in doubles, finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. The title match marked the pair’s 17th consecutive win, culminating in an impressive 26-2 season record. In singles, Soffer posted a 27-5 overall mark and ended the year ranked No. 4 nationally by the ITA.
A dominant force in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), Soffer was a four-time NEWMAC Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors in singles all four seasons. She also received First Team All-NEWMAC recognition in doubles this spring for the third time in her career.
She departs as Babson’s all-time leader in singles victories (99), doubles victories (97), and combined wins (196), cementing her legacy as one of the most decorated athletes in program history.
“Over the course of four exceptional years, Olivia established herself as one of the most decorated players in Division III tennis, earning an incredible seven All-American honors and two NCAA doubles championships,” stated head coach Emma Davis. “She has set a new standard for excellence through her incredible performance on court, consistent leadership, and determination to be the best. Her explosive serve and the power she brought to every shot made her a true force on the court. What truly elevated her game, however, was her mental toughness—the focus, resilience, and competitive drive that fueled her success. Olivia’s hard work and long hours have brought her to this moment, and I am so happy she has been selected as a finalist for such a prestigious award.”
All Honda Sport Award finalists from DIII and DII will vie for the prestigious 2025 Honda Athlete of the Year award in their respective divisions, presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 30, 2025, at 7 PM ET, from its new home in New York City.
The Honda Award finalists are recognized in 11 DIII and DII NCAA-sanctioned sports; cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field.
The CWSA, entering its 49th 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 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/.