Gretchen Walsh and Connor Shellenberger Receive UVA Top Honors
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Gretchen Walsh and Connor Shellenberger were honored as Virginia’s top athletes at the 2024-25 Hoos Choice Awards. Walsh earned the IMP Award as the top female athlete, while Shellenberger claimed the WINA Award as the top male athlete.
The Hoos Choice Awards reflect performances from April 2024-March 2025.
Walsh was named the Honda Sport Award Winner in Swimming & Diving for the second straight year. One of the most decorated swimmers in collegiate history, Walsh played a pivotal role in leading Virginia to its fifth consecutive NCAA Team title. She captured seven NCAA titles in 2025, including individual victories in the 50 Free, 100 Free, and 100 Fly, bringing her career total to 25 NCAA Championship titles, with nine individual wins. Walsh’s dominance extended to relay events, where she went a perfect 16-for-16 in NCAA relay competitions over her four-year career.
In 2024, Shellenberger was crowned the nation’s most outstanding attackman in men’s lacrosse. His unassisted goal in double overtime of the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals against Johns Hopkins punched the Hoos’ ticket to their third Championship Weekend in four years. As Virginia’s all-time assists and points record holder, Shellenberger finished his career as the program’s only four-time first-team All-American and only three-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award, the most prestigious award in college lacrosse.
Rafael Jódar (men’s tennis) was named Male Rookie of the Year and Anna Moesch (women’s swimming) was named Female Rookie of the Year.
An All-ACC first team selection in singles and the ACC Freshman of the Year, Jódar has been ranked as high as No. 4 in the ITA singles rankings, tallying a dozen victories over ranked players since joining the team in January. Jódar was edged in his collegiate debut match on January 16, but did not lose another regular-season singles match. He was a four-time ACC Freshman of the Week.
Moesch earned six All-America honors and logged four All-ACC finishes in her freshman season, with podium finishes in both the 100 and 200 Free at both meets. Moesch was a key addition to the Cavalier relays, swimming the anchor legs of the NCAA Champion 200 Free and 400 Medley Relays and the second leg of the NCAA Champion 400 Free Relay.
Will Anthony (men’s cross country) received the ACC Male Scholar-Athlete Award while Jans Croon (field hockey) earned the ACC Female Scholar-Athlete Award.
Abby Jansen (women’s lacrosse) earned the 1*15*41 Award, which is given to the individual who best displayed selflessness, commitment, school pride and leadership, all while contributing to the betterment of the department and shining a light on those around them with positivity.
Women’s lacrosse earned Comeback of the Year against Duke. After falling behind by as many as seven goals in the second quarter and trailing 9-4 at halftime, the Cavaliers stormed back using a 12-1 scoring run on their way to a 16-11 win at Klöckner Stadium.
The Cavalier distance medley relay team (men’s track and field) earned Male Play of the Year claiming its first-ever NCAA title in the DMR. A team of Wes Porter, Alex Sherman, Conor Murphy and Gary Martin set an NCAA Indoor Championships meet record with a time of 9:14.12 to capture the title and help lead UVA to a sixth-place finish at the national meet, the best finish in program history.
The Virginia 200 Medley Relay (women’s swimming) won Female Play of the Year. Claire Curzan, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh and Maxine Parker won the opening event of the 2025 NCAA Championship, posting an NCAA and American record time in the relay. The performance set the tone for the rest of the meet as the Cavaliers led wire-to-wire for their fifth straight NCAA team title.
Virginia’s sport psychologist, Jason Freeman was honored with the Bus Male Memorial Award for his dedication and devotion to Virginia Athletics during the 2024-25 school year.
Nick Hamilton (wrestling) received the Craig Fielder Memorial Award for overcoming adversity.
Sam O’Brien (men’s swimming) received the Gus Tebell Memorial Award as the fourth-year male student-athlete with the highest scholastic average through his four years at Virginia, while Helene Dimitrijev (rowing) was the recipient of the Jettie Hill Memorial Awad as the fourth-year female student-athlete with the highest scholastic average through her four years at UVA.
Lauren Kenah (field hockey) earned UVA’s Distinguished Athlete Scholarship Award, while Umberto Pelà (men’s soccer) was the recipient of the Ralph Sampson Scholarship Award.
Riley Richardson (rowing) earned the Susan J. Grossman Memorial Award in recognition of outstanding service to student-athletes and contributions to the Student-Athlete Mentor Program.
Brendan McNamara (women’s tennis) was the recipient of the Bob Goodman Memorial Award for outstanding student manager, while Anne Brown (Football) earned the Marlee Morgan Service Award. The award is given in recognition of a student manager in the UVA Department of Athletics who serves as an inspiration to others as a result of their perseverance, commitment and work ethic.
Virginia’s ACC Top VI Award recipients for dedication to community service and outreach programs included Morgan Koeneke (women’s lacrosse), Justin Rogers (men’s track and field), Shelby Bavin (rowing), Samantha Romano (women’s track and field), wrestling and football.
Team Awards
Baseball – Billy Word Memorial Award – TBD
Men’s Basketball – Sidney Young Memorial Award – Taine Murray
Women’s Basketball – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Kymora Johnson
Men’s Cross Country – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Gary Martin
Women’s Cross Country – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Margot Appleton
Field Hockey – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Lauren Kenah
Football – John Acree Memorial Award – Jonas Sanker
Men’s Golf – F. Dixon Brooke Memorial Award – Deven Patel
Women’s Golf – William E. Eacho Memorial Award – Rebecca Skoler
Men’s Lacrosse – Henry Gaver Memorial Award – Noah Chizmar
Women’s Lacrosse – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Abby Manalang
Rowing – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Jenna Hajji
Men’s Soccer – Stanley Lerner Memorial Award – Umberto Pelà
Women’s Soccer – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Elaine Rouse
Softball – Coach’s Award for Excellence – TBD
Men’s Squash – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Evan Hajek
Women’s Squash – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Maureen Foley
Men’s Swimming & Diving – Brooke Maury Memorial Award – Peter Thompson
Women’s Swimming & Diving – Diane Montgomery Greene Memorial Award – Ella Bathurst
Men’s Tennis – Norton Pritchett Memorial Award – James Hopper
Women’s Tennis – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Sara Ziodato
Men’s Track & Field – Henry Cummings Memorial Award – TBD
Women’s Track & Field – Z Society – The Lou Onesty Memorial Award – TBD
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Wes Porter
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Margot Appleton
Volleyball – Coach’s Award for Excellence – Milan Gomillion
Wrestling – David Senft Memorial Award – Dylan Cedeno