The Daily Cardinal’s 2024-25 women’s sports awards (2025)

This year’s Wisconsin women’s sports season was exhilarating as always. I am handing out some awards to the exceptional athletes who represented the Badgers in NCAA tournaments, national championships and even the Olympics.

MVP: Casey O’Brien, hockey

O’Brien’s season was greatness exemplified. The forward took home the Patty Kazmaier Award, the highest individual honor one can be awarded in collegiate women’s hockey. She led the NCAA in points (88) and assists (62), and scored a point in all but two of the Badgers’ games to become the fourth player in NCAA history to record at least 60 assists in one season. This award had many deserving candidates, including many of O’Brien’s teammates, but the senior forward’s excellence broke records and paved the way for another national championship.

Transfer of the Year: Carter McCray, basketball

It was another rough season for women’s basketball, but McCray, the transfer from Northern Kentucky, offered a bright spot for the Badgers. She started in 29 out of 30 games for the Badgers, averaging almost 11 points and seven rebounds per game. The highlight of her season came when she scored 22 points against Northwestern. Unfortunately for the Badgers, McCray has transferred to West Virginia.

Freshman of the Year: Charlie Fuerbringer, volleyball

On a team stacked with veteran talent, Fuerbringer made her mark early and often for the Badgers. Fuerbringer ranked third in the Big Ten in average assists per game and tallied 37 service aces, the second best on the Badgers. She finished the year on the 2024 All-Big Ten Second Team and the AVCA All-American Third Team. Not too bad for a freshman.

Coach of the Year: Kelly Sheffield, volleyball

I can already hear the shouts from everyone on how this award didn’t go to Mark Johnson. Suffice it to say that Mark Johnson has ascended to a status higher than this award.

On the other hand, Sheffield did a nice job of righting the ship for a Badgers team that didn’t always click. The team started the season 0-3 but finished 26-7 with a stellar 17-3 record in the Big Ten, including a win over the national champions, Penn State. The Badgers lost in the Elite Eight to Nebraska, but that achievement should not be overlooked, even if Badgers fans have been spoiled over the years.

Game of the Year: 4-3 over Ohio State, hockey

There was simply no other option than the women’s hockey national championship game, where Kirsten Simms saved the Badgers in regulation and overtime to lift Wisconsin to its eighth national title. The Badgers avenged their national championship loss from last season against the Ohio State Buckeyes, with Simms scoring a penalty shot goal with just under nine seconds left in regulation, and another goal in overtime to seal the title. Wisconsin came back from down 3-1 to claim national glory once again.

Badger of the Year: Kirsten Simms, hockey

Simms, who scored the winning goal in the 2023 National Championship, had a superhuman performance late in the 2025 National Championship to save the Badgers twice. Simms volunteered to take the penalty shot that sent the game into overtime. She then notched the national championship winning goal in overtime, cementing her legacy as a sensational performer in crunch time.

Honorable Mention: Phoebe Bacon, swimming

In case you needed further evidence that Wisconsin is the pre-eminent women’s sports school, an Olympian was beaten out for this award. Bacon represented the Badgers and Team USA last summer in Paris, where she finished fourth in the 200m backstroke. Back on home soil, she took home three golds at the 2025 Big Ten Championships and finished in third place in 200 Y Back in the 2025 NCAA Championships.

Team of the Year: Women's Hockey

The 2025 national champions were dominant in all facets of the game. The Badgers finished 38-1-2, with their lone loss coming against national runner-up Ohio State. Wisconsin won the WCHA and ultimately their eighth national championship. In addition to O’Brien, Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards were nominees for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which was only the second time in history that all the nominees came from one school.