Two standout women's athletes from New York University are now finalists for the top recognition in Division III women's athletics. 

NYU's Kaley McIntyre and Caroline Peper were named finalists for the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year Award, as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda on April 7.

McIntyre has been the women's swimming and diving finalist for the last three years, and earns this recognition after helping to lead her team to the program's first National Championship in March. She finished her collegiate career tying the Division III swimming record for most individual national championships (11), winning three in 2026.

"I am very honored to be recognized as a finalist for this award," stated McIntyre. "Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, and coaches for supporting me every step of the way. I am incredibly proud of everything my team and my teammates have accomplished over my time at NYU. They have inspired me with their hard work and determination to succeed. I would also like to thank the CWSA and Honda for supporting women's sports and promoting excellence in women's athletics across divisions. I am incredibly honored to be a small part of a very incredible community of athletes!"

A 27-time First Team All-American and three-time NCAA Division III and University Athletic Association (UAA) Swimmer of the Year, McIntyre holds four conference records and seven program records. She is also a CSCAA First Team Scholar All-American.

"I'm excited for Kaley to be nominated once again," stated Head Swim Coach Trevor Miele. "Every year I've worked with her, she's continued to work harder and grow into a more mature leader, both in and out of the pool. Through her dedication and effort, she's developed into the greatest Division III swimmer of all time. I've never coached a more consistent racer, and it's no surprise she was the backbone of the team that went on to win both the UAA and the NCAA titles."

Peper earns her first recognition for this award after leading the Violets to a third consecutive Sectional Championship and Final Four appearance. The senior was named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III Player of the Year and was named an All-American by the WBCA and D3hoops.com. 

"I am truly honored to be nominated for this award among several impressive fellow athletes and having the opportunity to represent NYU and all of Division III women's basketball," said Peper. "I'm grateful to my coaches, teammates, and family for the support throughout my career."

The guard set a program record with 112 three-pointers made and climbed to ninth on the program's all-time scoring list, finishing her career with 1,432 points. She also earned UAA Player of the Year honors and D3hoops.com Region IV Player of the Year recognition.

"Between National Championships, national recognition and plenty of wins, Caroline has had an enviable career by all accounts," said Head Coach Meg Barber. "But, what is truly most special about her time at NYU is the impact she has left on the people in our program and within the NYU Community. She has excelled as a student-athlete in the truest sense of the word. She consistently prioritized a disciplined approach to give her best effort in balancing the rigors of being a Mathematics major at NYU while simultaneously leading her team to national prominence. What she has done for NYU women's basketball and NYU Athletics will be etched in the record books forever, and I feel extremely fortunate to have coached her for four years!"

McIntyre and Peper are among 11 elite finalists for this prestigious award, which recognizes the top NCAA Division III athletes across various sports. The DIII Honda Athlete of the Year will be selected by senior women administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools and will be honored during a live broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, July 27, at 7:00 pm ET, in New York City.