Alexis Brown named CWSA Honda DII Athlete of the Year

NEW YORK, NY – Alexis Brown has been named the NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

Brown will be recognized alongside the Class of 2025 Honda Sports Award winners and the prestigious Honda Cup recipient on a live telecast airing Monday, June 30, 2025, at 7 PM ET on CBS Sports Network from New York City.

The fastest woman in NCAA DII history, Brown was named the USTFCCCA DII National Track Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, winning the outdoor 100 and 200 meter titles and the indoor 200 meter title. She set new NCAA DII records in all three events, running 10.93 seconds in the 100, 22.35 in the outdoor 200, and 22.88 in the indoor 200. At the time of her 100 meter championship Brown had run the second fastest time in the world in that event. 

Brown has won eight NCAA DII National Championships and is a 14X All-American. She has run the 10 fastest wind-legal 100 meter times in DII history, the three fastest indoor 200 meter times, three of the five fastest outdoor 200 meter times, and two of the four fastest 60 meter times. Brown becomes the fifth track and field athlete to win the award, and is the second consecutive after Minnesota State’s Denisha Cartwright won the award last year. 

“This is an incredible honor for Alexis,” stated Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Bob Braman. “This goes beyond her being the greatest sprinter in DII history. Today, she’s being recognized as one of the absolute great student-athletes in the entire NCAA. Lenoir Rhyne and all of her coaches are extremely proud of her.”

Finalists for the 2025 DII Honda Athlete of the Year included Amely Bochaton (Golf, Wingate), Emilee Boyer (Softball, West Texas A&M), Olivia Henneman-Dallape (Volleyball, Ferris State), Peyton Howell (Lacrosse, Tampa), Lauren Kiley (Cross Country, Grand Valley State), Luna Mertens (Swimming & Diving, Lynn), Tara Oper (Women’s Soccer, Cal Poly Pomona), Ashleigh Simes (Tennis, Lee), Jady van Gils (Field Hockey, East Stroudsburg) and Nala Williams (Basketball, Cal State Dominguez Hills).

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.

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.