Women's Lacrosse Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics

Middlebury's Caroline Adams Names Division III Honda Award Finalist for Women’s Lacrosse

Middlebury's Caroline Adams has been tabbed the Division III Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for women's lacrosse, as announced by Chris Voelz, executive director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.

"Middlebury Women's Lacrosse is a program built and fostered by those who play for each other, do hard things together and love one another," said Adams. "I am a better lacrosse player and human because of this family. To play lacrosse competitively, surrounded by so much talent on our team, in the NESCAC and beyond, is a gift. I am honored to be named a finalist, and I am forever grateful for my coaches, teammates and those whose shoulders I have stood upon these past four years."

HONOREE HIGHLIGHTS
  • Adams and her classmates completed a four-year sweep of national titles, besting Wesleyan 8-6 in the national championship to hoist the hardware. The trophy marked the squad's sixth in its last six seasons of competition and 12th in program history.
  • The senior became the fifth consecutive Panther to garner player and attacker of the year honors from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), joining Jane Earley '23 (2022 & 2023) and Hope Shue '25 (2024 & 2025).
  • She also logged All-NESCAC, all-region, and All-American First-Team praise.
  • Her 72 goals, 45 assists, 117 points and 124 draw controls each led the squad. She paced the league in markers and points, ranking eighth nationally in the latter and 19th across Division III in the former.
  • Adams became the first player in team history to log three seasons with 100 or more draw wins and the fifth to eclipse the 100-point mark in a single campaign.
  • From the eight-meter arc, the Panther served as a premier scoring threat. She converted her free-position opportunities at the eighth-best rate in the nation (.724).
  • The senior secured NESCAC weekly praise twice and a pair of IWLCA Offensive Player of the Week honors.
  • Adams was crowned the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 NCAA Tournament and landed on the all-tournament team for the fourth straight season. She tallied 25 points across five contests in the national bracket, finding nylon on 13 occasions alongside 12 helpers.
  • The attacker concludes her four years in the navy and white as the program's all-time leader in draw controls (473) while ranking fifth in assists (95) and top 10 in goals (168).
  • Adams was awarded the Hazeltine-Klevenow Memorial Trophy, given to a Middlebury student-athlete who best combines ability in athletics and excellence in scholarship.
  • She earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors and is a three-time NESCAC All-Academic selection.

"Caroline Adams is one of the most selfless leaders in our program and is a true connector of people both on and off the field," said head coach Kate Livesay '03. "She has an uncanny way of believing in others and encouraging them to reach new heights, all while modeling extraordinary competition and execution with her own play. She has provided jaw-dropping and game-winning plays on multiple occasions in her senior season while bringing joy and magic to the field that draws in all spectators and fans. She has set the standard for achievement in her academic and athletic pursuits, all while remaining deeply committed to community involvement. Caroline has infused joy and success into Middlebury since she arrived, and her legacy will be felt long after she graduates."

ABOUT THE HONDA AWARDS
  • Now in its 50th year, the CWSA honors the nation's top female collegiate athletes for superior athletic performance, leadership, academic honors and community service.
  • Since its partnership with Honda began in 1986, the program has awarded more than $3.4 million in institutional grants, strengthening and advancing women's athletics nationwide.
  • The Honda Sports Award recognizes female student-athletes in 11 NCAA-sanctioned disciplines: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
All finalists for the Division II and III Honda Athlete of the Year awards will be honored during a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. in New York City. Adams joins fellow Panther Audrey MacLean from the women's cross country team on the ballot, looking to become the second women's lacrosse player and fourth Panther overall to secure the prestigious accolade.