Aaliyah Butler, a junior sprinter from the University of Georgia, has been named the Honda Sport Award winner for Track & Field, 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.
Butler was selected via a nationwide vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. The other finalists for this year’s award were Doris Lemngole (Alabama), Hana Moll (Washington) and Savannah Sutherland (Michigan).
“I am so honored to receive this award and have my name mentioned with winners of the past, including the great Bulldog Kendell Williams,” said Butler. “This helps show me the hard work and dedication that I’ve put in is paying off. I want to thank all involved for making me this year’s honoree, and I cannot wait to share this experience with the award winners from the other sports.”
Butler, hailing from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., delivered a standout 2025 season, headlined by her individual national title in the 400 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Her winning time of 49.26 not only set a new school record but also marked the fifth-fastest performance in collegiate history. Butler further anchored Georgia’s 4x400-meter relay to victory, securing the program’s first-ever national title in the event and helping propel the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
Throughout the season, the junior dominated the SEC Conference, sweeping both the indoor and outdoor 400-meter titles. Her consistent excellence earned her five NCAA First Team All-America honors in 2025 alone, bringing her career total to 11 All-America accolades. A fixture on the Bowerman Watch List with seven appearances, she also excelled academically as a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
A 2024 Olympic gold medalist as part of Team USA’s 4x400-meter relay squad, Butler continues to affirm her place among the elite in collegiate and international track and field.
“What an outstanding accomplishment for such a well-deserving young woman,” said head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert. “Aaliyah is a unique talent. She has superior talent and teams that with an elite work ethic. Aaliyah doesn’t say much, but her actions on the track, in the classroom, and in the rest of her life reflect what sort of student-athlete and person she is becoming during this journey in Athens. She and I, along with the rest of the University of Georgia family, understand what an immense honor this is, and are super appreciative of the recognition.”
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/.