José Marin Wins Honda Sport Award for Golf
via Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards
NEW YORK – Maria José Marin, a sophomore from the University of Arkansas, has been named the Honda Sport Award winner for Golf, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 49 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, signifying “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The recipient of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2025 Honda Cup, which will be presented during a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 30, at 7 pm ET, in New York City.
José Marin was selected via a nationwide vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. The other finalists for this year’s award were Kiara Romero (Oregon), Mirabel Ting (Florida State) and Lottie Wood (Florida State).
“I’m honored to be recognized as one of the top female athletes by receiving the Honda Award for golf and joining the other top athletes from around the United States,” stated José Marin. “My success this season wouldn’t have been possible without my family, coaches, teammates and the University of Arkansas for giving me the opportunity to compete at the highest level collegiately. Wooo Pig!”
“I’m proud to carry on the Arkansas golf tradition and join Razorback legend Maria Fassi as the program’s only Honda Award for golf winners. I can’t wait to meet and celebrate with the other winners in New York City!”
José Marin, hailing from Cali, Colombia, captured the 2025 NCAA Individual Championship, marking the program’s third individual national title. Her final score of -12 tied for the third-best in NCAA Championship history and punctuated a dominant season that solidified her place among the elite in collegiate golf.
A two-time Women’s Collegiate Golf Association (WGCA) First Team All-American and the 2025 SEC Player of the Year, she was ranked as high as No. 5 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and climbed to No. 3 in the collegiate golf rankings following NCAA play. She appeared on the 2025 ANNIKA Award Postseason Watch List and earned All-SEC First Team honors for the second consecutive year. Throughout the season, she played all 41 rounds for the No. 2-ranked Razorbacks, maintaining an impressive 70.95 scoring average with an 862-91-12 win-loss-tie record.
José Marin led Arkansas in nearly every statistical category, including average score to par (-0.02), birdies (130), and match play victories (3). She carded 23 rounds of par or better and posted three individual wins at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational (-11), Puerto Rico Classic (-9), and NCAA Championship (-12). She also recorded runner-up finishes at the Carmel Cup (-6) and NCAA Columbus Regional (-4), amassing six top-5 and eight top-10 finishes in 12 stroke-play events.
Her stellar season had her ranked as high as No. 1 in the collegiate ranks for the month of February. A three-time invitee to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, she earned an exemption into the 2025 US Open and made the cut in her major debut before going on to help Team International capture the prestigious Arnold Palmer Cup this June.
“I’m so proud of Maria for all of her achievements this year,” said head coach Shauna Taylor. “The Honda Award is a prestigious honor and all the hard work she puts in everyday validates what winning in your preparation can produce. She loves the game of golf and to see her get an award like this is so amazing.”
The CWSA, now in its 49th year, continues to honor the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their exceptional athletic achievements, leadership, academic excellence, and dedication to community service. Since the inception of its partnership in 1986, Honda has contributed over $3.4 million in institutional grants to support women’s athletics programs at the universities of award winners and nominees.
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/.
For more information on Arkansas women’s golf, follow @RazorbackWGolf on social media.
