The most decorated gymnast at the NCAA Championships has another honor.
Trinity Thomas is the 2022 Honda Sports Award recipient, an honor given annually to the nation’s top collegiate female athlete in her sport. The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) revealed Thomas as the 2022 Honda Award winner today.
April was a big month for Thomas. At the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, Thomas won the all-around title, uneven bars and floor exercise and shared the uneven bars win<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_news_2022_4_14_gymnastics-2Don-2Dto-2Dncaa-2Dfinal-2Dgators-2Dadvance-2Dto-2Dsemifinal-2Dii-2Dwin.aspx&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=aM2_vOMB4y7qfRXDk8yJHzafDo6mP32BbAKTdP5HE7wFRJEccIBxaxxgytbcwRWy&s=LMEfSdpsEyw6GfsRMskG5YFt9YQWefMo8KOsVt00sZU&e= >. Last Friday, she graduated cum laude with her degree in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology – Fitness Wellness.
About the Honda Award
The Honda Sports Award is presented annually by the CWSA<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com_archives_about&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=aM2_vOMB4y7qfRXDk8yJHzafDo6mP32BbAKTdP5HE7wFRJEccIBxaxxgytbcwRWy&s=qQavaaCkknm7EAInDQ5t_aPmux3t0eSjk9RUfEY4R7M&e= > to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. With this honor, Thomas becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2022 Honda Cup, which will be presented on June 27 in a live nationally televised broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET from Los Angeles, Calif.
The honor is based on the results of national balloting among all NCAA member schools as part of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, now in its 46th year. The other finalists were Jade Carey of Oregon State, Susisa Lee of Auburn and Lexy Ramler of Minnesota.
A Gator gymnast has claimed the Honda Award six of the last 11 years. Gator Greats Bridget Sloan (2013, 2016), Kytra Hunter (2012, 2015) and Alex McMurtry (2017) also received the Honda Award for gymnastics. The first Gator gymnast to receive the honor was Ann Woods in 1982.
Thomas’ 2022 Season
All-around winner in every 2022 post-season meet, Thomas won the NCAA title by equaling the meet record of 39.8125 set by UF’s last Honda Award winner, Alex McMurtry, in 2017.
In the NCAA team final, Thomas’ winning all-around total of 39.8625 equals the second-highest ever in NCAA competition. The 10.0 in the NCAA team final was her fourth consecutive perfect floor exercise mark – all coming in NCAA regional or NCAA final site competition.
Here’s some more highlights from Thomas’ 2022 season:
? NCAA all-around (39.8125), uneven bars (9.975) and floor exercise (10.0) champion. Ninth gymnast in NCAA 40-year history to win three individual wins in a single championship.
? Won every post-season all-around – NCAA Final, NCAA Semifinal, NCAA Regional Final, NCAA Second Round and Southeastern Conference Championship
? Only gymnast with five All-America first-team honors in NCAA competition
? Nation’s only gymnast with All-America first-team honors for each apparatus in 2022 WCGA regular-season awards.
? SEC Gymnast of Year<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_news_2022_3_23_gymnastics-2Dtrinity-2Dthomas-2Dis-2D2022-2Dsec-2Dgymnast-2Dof-2Dthe-2Dyear.aspx&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=aM2_vOMB4y7qfRXDk8yJHzafDo6mP32BbAKTdP5HE7wFRJEccIBxaxxgytbcwRWy&s=j0HbKCMQ7p7hdZet5RiTB8SeuhCWmdwaPDT3wA-_048&e= >. Won SEC all-around, vault and floor exercise. All-SEC
? 12 perfect marks is second all-time nationally in a single season. Career total of 20 10.0s ties for No. 7 all-time among NCAA gymnasts. Perfect mark for each of four NCAA floor routines in 2022.
? Completed career Gym Slam (10.0 in each apparatus) and also posted a Season Slam (10.0 in each event in a single season) in 2022
? Nation’s all-around high of 39.90 equals the fifth-highest ever in collegiate gymnastics. NCAA all-around title winning total (39.8125) equals NCAA semifinal record and NCAA final winning total (39.8625) equals second highest ever in event. Tallied each of the nation’s top five all-around totals of 2022 – 39.90, 39.875, 39.8625, 39.85 and 39.825.
? Led Gators with school-record 39 event wins in 2022 – nine vault, floor; eight all-around; seven bars; six beam. UF career leader with 113 wins.
They Said:
“What a season! I’ve enjoyed this year and Gator team more than words can explain! I feel so honored and blessed to receive this award. It’s something that was a goal from my very first meeting with my coaches as a Gator. I want to first, thank God for blessing me with the ability and the support system to do what I love. I also would like to thank all who joined me on this journey – my Gator teammates, coaches, family and the Florida fans.” – Florida senior Trinity Thomas
“Congratulations to Trinity. She is such a great ambassador for collegiate gymnastics, achieving at high levels in both competition and in the classroom. Thank you to the Honda Award for celebrating these amazing and accomplished young women. We are celebrating 50 years of Florida women’s athletics throughout this season. This is another outstanding honor among many for this storied program. ” – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland
Gator Honda Sports Award Recipients
Name
Sport
Year
Trinity Thomas
Gymnastics
2022
Yanis David
Track & Field
2019
Rhamat Alhassan
Volleyball
2018
Belinda Woolcock
Tennis
2017
Alex McMurtry
Gymnastics
2017
Kelly Barnhill
Softball
2017
Bridget Sloan
Gymnastics
2016
Lauren Haeger
Softball
2015
Kytra Hunter
Gymnastics
2015
Bridget Sloan
Gymnastics
2013
Kytra Hunter
Gymnastics
2012
Kelsey Bruder
Softball
2011
Caroline Burckle
Swimming
2008
Danielle Fotopoulos
Soccer
1998
Jill Craybas
Tennis
1996
Nicole Haislett
Swimming
1994
Lisa Raymond
Tennis
1993
Lisa Raymond
Tennis
1992
Shaun Stafford
Tennis
1988
Page Dunlap
Golf
1986
Deb Richard
Golf
1985
Tracy Caulkins
Swimming
1984^
Tracy Caulkins
Swimming
1983
Tracy Caulkins
Swimming
1982^
Ann Woods
Gymnastics
1982
Renee Laravie
Swimming
1978
^Recipient of Broderick Award (previous name of Collegiate
Woman Athlete of the Year Award
The Honda Award
The Honda Sports Award acknowledges athletic achievement as well as scholastics and community involvement, and is given to female athletes in 12 different NCAA-sanctioned sports throughout the year. Each Honda Sports Award winner is recognized as the top collegiate female athlete in her sport, and the award is considered by many as one of the highest honors a female college athlete can receive in the nation.
In honor of Thomas winning the award, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will donate $5,000 to the women’s athletic program at the University of Florida.
A Gator has been recognized as a Honda Sports winner 26 times across eight different sports. Winners in eight different sports leads all programs in the nation. Gator Great and U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Tracy Caulkins is the only Gator to win the Broderick Cup (renamed Honda Award in 1987), earning the top award in 1982 and 1984. Gator softball’s Lauren Haeger was among the final three for the 2015 Honda Cup<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__floridagators.com_news_2015_6_30_30871.aspx&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=aM2_vOMB4y7qfRXDk8yJHzafDo6mP32BbAKTdP5HE7wFRJEccIBxaxxgytbcwRWy&s=sF99bLUutLEf3B5B4-7qttJK65ZhG2Ij2c4YYJv1lYI&e= >.
Visit The Collegiate Women Sports Awards<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=aM2_vOMB4y7qfRXDk8yJHzafDo6mP32BbAKTdP5HE7wFRJEccIBxaxxgytbcwRWy&s=fnCGUo4bOh3cm9C7dSV32wkikva4HCm-LDDLylhQ5JU&e= > website for more information.
2021-22 Honda Sports Award Recipients
Each season, The Collegiate Women Sports Awards program recognizes the top collegiate female student-athlete in 12 sports. Below are the recipients named so far this season:
Sport
Name
Yr
School
Basketball
Aliyah Boston
JR
South Carolina
Cross Country
Whittni Orton,
SR
Brigham Young
Field Hockey
Jill Bolton
SR
Liberty
Gymnastics
Trinity Thomas
SR
Florida
Soccer
Jaelin Howell
SR
Florida State
Volleyball
Dana Rettke
SR
Wisconsin
Honda Award winners in golf, lacrosse, softball, tennis and track & field announced later this season.
