Virginia Athletics: Shellenberger and Walsh Recognized at Hoos Choice Awards

Connor Shellenberger and Gretchen Walsh were both recognized as the University of Virginia’s top athletes at the 2024-2025 Hoos Choice Awards. Walsh received the IMP Award as the top female athlete, while Shellenberger took home the WINA Award as the top male athlete.

The IMP and WINA Awards reflect performance from April 2024 to March 2025. 

It has been almost a calendar year since Connor Shellenberger suited up for the Virginia Men’s Lacrosse team, but his contributions in April and May of 2024 were enough to win him a second-straight WINA Award. The Charlottesville native led the Hoos to their third Championship Weekend in four years, netting an unassisted, double-overtime game-winner against Johns Hopkins in their quarterfinal matchup. At the season’s end, Shellenberger had notched 84 points––including a team best 52 assists––and was recognized as the nation’s most outstanding attackman. In addition to holding the program record for career points and assists, Shellenberger graduated as Virginia’s only four-time first-team All-American and only three-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award, the highest honor in college lacrosse. 

In 2025, Gretchen Walsh was awarded her second Honda Sport Award for Swimming & Diving for her dominance in collegiate and international competitions. She represented the United States at the Paris Olympics, winning Gold in the 4 x 100 relay and 4 x 100 medley relay. She also won an individual silver in the 100 fly, setting an Olympic Record with her 55.38 finish––just a few ticks shy of the world record (55.18) she set at the 2024 US Olympic Trials. Despite the intense summer, there was no “championship hangover” for Walsh. She returned to UVA and took home three individual national championships in the 50 Free, 100 Free, and 100 Fly, helping Virginia secure its fifth straight NCAA team title. Walsh has now totaled 25 national championships, including nine individually. 

With Shellenberger’s departure last year and Walsh’s graduation this coming May, Virginia is losing two of its most prolific athletes in recent memory. While their time at the university has concluded, their records and impact will linger long after. 

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