Story by NU Athletic Communications
Axelina Johansson was named the winner of the Honda Award for Track and Field, the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards (CWSA) announced on Monday.
Johansson is the first Honda Award for Track and Field winner in school history and will become a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and Class of 2026 Honda Cup, joining fellow Husker Jordy Frahm, who won the award for softball. The award will be presented live on Monday, July 27, at 6 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network.
“I want to start off by saying thank the CWSA voters for selecting me for this award,” Johansson said. “There are so many amazing women in this sport, so being named the best female college athlete in track and field is such an honor and feels absolutely amazing. I could not have done it without the team around, so I truly want to thank Nebraska and all the resources they have provided me during these past 5 years, my family, teammates, friends and coach St. Clair for believing in me.”
The CWSA celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025-26 collegiate athletics season. For five decades, the Honda Sport Award has honored the nation’s top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, symbolizing “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.”
“Winning the Honda Award is an incredible honor and a testament to Axelina’s hard work and dedication,” said Head Coach Justin St. Clair, “Her perseverance, resilience, and commitment to excellence have made this achievement possible. We couldn’t be prouder of Axelina, this recognition is so well deserved, and we are thrilled to celebrate her success.”
Also announced by USTFCCCA on Monday, Johansson won the National Women’s Field Athlete of the Year.
Senior thrower Axelina Johansson capped one of the most decorated careers in collegiate track and field history by capturing the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championship in the shot put with a meet-record throw of 19.92m (65-4 ¼). Earlier in the season, she claimed her sixth career Big Ten shot put title with a personal-best and conference meet-record mark of 19.97m (65-6 ¼), the second-farthest throw in NCAA history.
The NCAA Outdoor title came on the heels of her impressive 2026 Indoor Campaign, highlighted by an Indoor NCAA Championship victory, giving Johansson four career NCAA shot put championships across indoor and outdoor competition. The captain also set the indoor collegiate shot put record, throwing 19.72m (64-8 ½).