Gretchen Walsh Nominated for 2025 ESPY Best College Athlete

Gretchen Walsh, a standout swimmer from the University of Virginia, has been nominated for the 2025 ESPY Award for Best College Athlete in Women's Sports, joining competitors Kate Faase (UNC soccer), Olivia Babcock (Pittsburgh volleyball), and JuJu Watkins (USC basketball). Walsh's nomination follows an extraordinary final collegiate season where she set multiple world records, won several NCAA titles, and helped Virginia secure its fifth consecutive team national championship. She also earned accolades such as CSCAA Swimmer of the Year, ACC Swimmer of the Year, and the Honda Sport Award, and demonstrated dominance at national and international meets with American and NCAA records. The ESPYs ceremony, hosted by Shane Gillis, will take place on July 16 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on ABC, with fan voting influencing the winner. Other nominees, including Babcock and Faase, have also earned major awards and recognition in their respective sports, highlighting a diverse field of elite collegiate female athletes. The ESPYs continue to be a prestigious platform celebrating the achievements of top athletes across various disciplines.