The 2026 Honda Cup is about to drop Monday night, and this year it means something extra special. We are talking about the 50th anniversary of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards, a monumental milestone that reminds us how far women’s sports have come, all thanks to the legends who put in the work.
The Boom We See Today, Built on Their Shoulders
Look, women’s sports are absolutely exploding right now. The WNBA just locked down a transformational collective bargaining agreement, which means multi-million dollar contracts are no longer some far-off dream, they are reality for these athletes. And get this: the average National Women’s Soccer League team is now worth a staggering $184 million. That’s serious business. The Professional Women’s Hockey League blew up, doubling its teams from six to 12 in only three years. Plus, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League crushed its second season. This isn’t just growth, this is a revolution, but it didn’t happen by accident.
Celebrating the Trailblazers Who Paved the Way
All this incredible success, all the new money, the massive audiences, it’s all built on the backs of the women who literally paved the way. Many of those pioneers will be celebrated on Monday night at the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards, presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. ET. The Honda Sport Award is a huge deal, recognizing athletic achievement alongside scholastic and community involvement, given to the top athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned women’s sports every year. Then, one of those 12 takes home the big prize, the Honda Cup.
This 50th anniversary celebration is going to be epic. We’re talking about “one of the largest gatherings of the greatest women in collegiate athletics over the past half century.” Legends like Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Ann Meyers, Missy Franklin, and Chamique Holdsclaw are all expected to be there. This year’s group of finalists for the 2026 Honda Cup is just as stacked, featuring UCLA basketball star Lauren Betts, Stanford swimming sensation Torri Huske, and two-time Florida State soccer national champion Jordynn Dudley. Every single winner in this award’s history is exemplary, pushing their collegiate success into pro and international careers, truly transforming their sports.
Cheryl Miller’s Undeniable Impact on the Game
When you talk about changing the game, you gotta talk about Cheryl Miller. Back in 1984, representing USC in basketball, she was an absolute force. She powered the electric Women of Troy to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1983 and 1984, then went straight to Olympic Gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Miller didn’t just win, she literally blasted women’s basketball into the mainstream. She was front-page news, even hitting the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1985. The author of that article dropped a bomb of a quote, saying, “With apologies to Wayne Gretzky … Miller probably is the most dominating individual in a team sport of this era.” Think about that for a second. That’s how good she was. It’s wild to think her career got cut short by an ACL tear, and the WNBA wasn’t even a thing for another decade. But she laid the groundwork, no doubt. The first three winners of these awards, Luisa Harris in 1977, Ann Meyers in 1978, and Nancy Lieberman in 1979, were all basketball players, showing that game was at the forefront of this movement from day one.
So, as we gear up for Monday night, we’re not just watching another awards show. We’re witnessing history, recognizing the sheer power and impact of these incredible athletes. Who’s gonna be the next name etched into this unbelievable legacy? Tune in and find out, because the future of women’s sports is looking brighter than ever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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