Basketball superstar Aliyah Boston on Mon. June 27, 2022 received the Honda Cup Award. By. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETICS
St. Thomas native and basketball superstar Aliyah Boston was announced as the winner of the Honda Cup during a ceremony Monday night, an award presented to the best athlete in women’s college athletics.
Boston adds the Honda Cup to the list of awards she's won this season, which includes being named the unanimous player of the year in women’s college basketball this season. She averaged 16.8 points per game, 12.5 rebounds per game, and 2.4 blocks per game and led South Carolina to its second national title in program history.
Boston was the first player to earn both the Naismith Player of the Year and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.
Throughout the season, she set the Southeastern Conference record for most consecutive double-doubles after recording a double-double in 27 straight games. She also led the country with 30 double-doubles overall.
“First my thanks goes to God because he has allowed me to be here surrounded by all these talented athletes, so I can really thank him," Boston said after receiving the award. "This is really just so amazing, I am so thankful.”
When asked what it means to be among the elite names in women's basketball such as Candance Parker and her head coach Dawn Staley — both of whom won the Honda Cup — Boston replied, “It means a lot because a lot of these women are my role models.”
Boston is the 16th women’s college basketball player to win this award and the first women’s college basketball to win the award since 2016.
Boston beat Oklahoma softball player Jocelyn Alo and Florida gymnast Trinity Thomas, the other two finalists for the award, to claim the honor as the best female athlete in college sports this year.
The finalists were selected by voting of nearly 1,000 NCAA member schools, and the winner was chosen by the Board of Directors of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program.
Chris Voelz, executive director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards, stated, “To Aliyah Boston, this year's Honda Cup winner, we commend and congratulate you on your remarkable achievements which led to your selection as the Cup winner and welcome you to this rare sisterhood, being named the very best female collegiate athlete in the nation."
On June 4th, Boston was honored with a parade on St. Thomas and a billboard at the Cyril E. King Airport.
