Lauren Betts from UCLA, Mikayla Blakes of Vanderbilt University, Madison Booker from University of Texas and University of Connecticut’s Sarah Strong have been announced as the four finalists for the Class of 2026 Honda Sport Award for basketball, as revealed today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).

The announcement comes during a landmark moment for the organization, as the CWSA celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025-26 collegiate athletics season. For five decades, the Honda Sport Award has honored the nation’s top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, symbolizing “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The recipient will become a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the Class of 2026 Honda Cup, to be presented live on Monday, July 27, at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.

The basketball finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Voting for the Honda Sport Award for basketball is conducted by senior women administrators from more than 1,000 NCAA member institutions and will open after the NCAA Final Four.

Betts, a senior center from Centennial, Colorado, is a 2026 Wade Trophy and Naismith Award finalist and a two-time WBCA First Team All-American. She has been named a Lisa Leslie Center of the Year finalist, after winning the award last year, and captured the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. In 2026, she became the first player in conference history to earn both Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year honors in the same season.

Blakes, a sophomore guard from Somerset, New Jersey, is a 2026 Wade Trophy and Naismith Trophy finalist who earned unanimous First Team All-America honors. The 2026 SEC Player of the Year, she leads NCAA Division I with 27.0 points per game and owns the highest career scoring average among active players at 25.1 ppg. She became the fastest SEC player in the NCAA era to reach 1,000 career points (42 games).

Booker, a junior forward from Ridgeland, Mississippi, is a three-time WBCA All-American and a two-time finalist for both the Wade Trophy and Wooden Award, as well as a two-time Naismith semifinalist. A unanimous 2026 First Team All-American, she is also a two-time recipient of the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award and a finalist for the honor again this season. She has earned Conference Player of the Year honors three times across the SEC and Big 12.

Strong, a sophomore forward from Durham, North Carolina, was recently named the 2026 Naismith Player of the Year and is both a Wade Trophy finalist and a unanimous First Team All-American. She swept Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, while also earning Most Outstanding Player accolades at the conference tournament. A two-time All-Big East First Team selection, Strong was most recently named the 2026 NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player and is also a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award.

As the CWSA marks its 50th anniversary, the organization continues its longstanding mission to honor excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since 1986, Honda has contributed more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to support 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/.