PITTSBURGH – Olivia Babcock was named the program’s first Honda Sport Award winner for volleyball, announced on Saturday by The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA). This also marks the first time a female student-athlete at Pitt has ever been named a recipient. The award is considered by many as one of the highest honors a female college athlete can receive in the nation.
This marks the 49th year the Honda Sport Award has been in existence and is presented annually by the CWSA to the top female athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. Babcock is a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the coveted 2024 Honda Cup, which will be presented live on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 30 at 7 PM ET, from New York City.
Babcock was chosen by a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. The finalists from volleyball included Lexi Rodriguez (Nebraska), Sarah Franklin (Wisconsin) and Brooklyn DeLeye (Kentucky).
Babcock wins the Honda Sport Award after being named the AVCA National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-America, First Team All-ACC, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year and East Coast Region Team member. She was named the Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player after recording 44 kills in the two wins over No. 14 Oregon and No. 11 Kentucky. Her 33 kills against Louisville in the National Semifinal is a career high and the most kills registered by a Panther since 2007.
She led the Pitt offense and averaged 5.94 points per set, 4.72 kills per set, 1.82 digs per set and 0.62 aces per set. Babcock won two AVCA National Player of the Week and three ACC Offensive Player of the Week awards this season.
Babcock’s 71 aces in 2024 is a program record, passing Dee MacAulay who recorded 67 aces in 1989. She is fifth in program history for most kills in a single season with 538 and first in the rally scoring era.
The CWSA 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…
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