Audrey MacLean, a junior from Middlebury College, has been named a finalist in cross country for the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

The announcement comes during a landmark moment for the organization, as the CWSA celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025–26 collegiate athletics season. MacLean is now among 11 elite finalists for this prestigious award, which recognizes the top NCAA Division III athletes across various sports. The DIII Honda Athlete of the Year will be selected by senior women administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools and will be honored during a live broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, July 27th, at 7:00 pm ET, in New York City.

“I feel so honored to be named a finalist for this award this year, and I am so grateful for the Middlebury cross country family that made it possible,” stated MacLean. “I never could have imagined this at the beginning of my college career, and achieving this while maintaining my absolute love of running is proof of how extraordinary our team and coaches are. This would not have been possible in solidarity, and I feel forever grateful for both the gift of running and the community that it has formed.”

MacLean, a native of Tiburon, Calif., captured the 2025 NCAA DIII Cross Country individual title, becoming just the second NCAA Champion in program history and the first since 1986. She dominated the race from the opening split, ultimately winning by 48 seconds and leading her team to its best national finish—eighth place—since 2018 and the program’s 17th top-10 result all time.

The junior capped a standout 2025 season with back-to-back victories at the conference and regional championships. With her national title, MacLean becomes only the fourth three-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American in program history. She is also a three-time First-Team All-NESCAC and All-Region honoree.

Off the course, she has earned Academic All-America recognition from both the College Sports Communicators (CSC) and the USTFCCCA.

“Audrey is one of the most talented runners I have coached as part of a program that has an unbelievably rich tradition of talent and success,” stated head coach Nicole Wilkerson. “She trains with unmatched joy and enthusiasm while balancing rigorous academic demands, which often means doing some training in the early hours of the morning. She races with her teammates in mind and is more fulfilled by the team's successes over her own. She respects her competition while being a fierce competitor herself. We are all very proud of her!”

Now in its 50th year, the CWSA continues to honor the nation’s top female collegiate athletes for excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since partnering with Honda in 1986, the program has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants, strengthening and advancing women’s athletics programs nationwide.

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/.