Sarah Zimmerman ’26 Receives Old Dominion Athletic Conference’s Marjorie Berkley Award The soccer and basketball star was honored as the top female scholar-athlete in the conference.

Athletics Communications
June 11, 2026

Washington and Lee University’s Sarah Zimmerman ’26 was selected by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) as its 2026 recipient of the Marjorie Berkley Award as the conference’s top female scholar-athlete. Matt Conroy of Shenandoah University was honored with the Harry G. “Doc” Jopson Award as the top male scholar-athlete in the ODAC.

Zimmerman is W&L’s 14th winner of the Berkley Award, which was first presented in 1984. The Generals have had 16 winners of the Jopson Award since it was first awarded in 1981. Most recently, former men’s lacrosse player Hillis Burns ‘25 won the Jopson Award in 2025, while Zimmerman is the first General to claim the Berkley Award since former field hockey player Tess Muneses ’23 won the award in 2023.

“One of the things I’ve always loved about athletics is the problem-solving dimension,” said Zimmerman, who starred in soccer and basketball at W&L. “Every game presents a new puzzle, whether that is reading a defense, adjusting in real time or simply finding the right play.”

“Managing a full training and competition schedule while carrying a double major forced me to get organized early and stay that way,” she continued. “I took an active approach to my schedule, my goals and my growth because I had no other choice. That habit has served me in every academic environment I’ve entered. When you’ve competed at this level, you understand what it means to demand the best from yourself, and I brought that same standard to my academics. It’s not about perfection, but instead about refusing to be passive in the pursuit of something you care about.”

Zimmerman earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and mathematics while attaining eight W&L Scholar Athlete citations and four ODAC All-Academic Team selections. She was named the 2025 ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Women’s Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year, twice collected College Sports Communicators (CSC) First Team Academic All-America honors and was inducted into Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.

“Sarah is an outstanding example of an elite student-athlete and is truly deserving of this award,” said Tiffany Pins, head women’s soccer coach. “Her ability to excel as a significant contributor in two sports while maintaining exceptional academic achievement is a testament to her work ethic, discipline and commitment. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and grateful for the positive influence her leadership has had on our program.”

Zimmerman completed her W&L soccer career as one of the most accomplished players in program history. In 87 career games, she amassed 105 points on 42 goals and 21 assists, increasing her scoring totals every year. As a senior, she scored a career-best 17 goals to finish her tenure ranked fourth in program history for career goals scored. Her 105 points are the fifth-most in program history and her 21 assists are the eighth-most.

During her final two seasons on the soccer pitch, Zimmerman was named ODAC Player of the Year as well as First Team All-Region and First Team All-American.  The Cincinnati native is the only player in program history to be named a First Team All-America in back-to-back seasons, leading W&L to a pair of conference championships while posting a 65-10-13 overall record and a 35-1-4 mark in ODAC play.

“Sarah is the true embodiment of what the Division III experience is all about,” said Brittney Kemp, head women’s basketball coach. “She has embraced every aspect of the student-athlete experience, excelling not only as an athlete and scholar, but also as a leader, teammate, mentor and role model. Sarah’s exceptional leadership, relentless pursuit of excellence, and genuine investment in those around her set her apart. She is a remarkable ambassador for our program, institution, the ODAC and all of Division III.”

Zimmerman also played a key role in the success of the women’s basketball program during her collegiate career, helping the team to three conference titles and four trips to the NCAA Tournament, including quarterfinal runs in 2024 and 2026. Her four seasons produced a 107-16 overall record and a 63-5 record in ODAC regular season play. She also helped lead the team to a program-best 31-1 mark in 2025-26.

Playing in 100 total games on the hardwood, Zimmerman finished her career with 712 points (7.1 per game), in addition to averages of 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. She is just one of five players in program history with at least 100 blocked shots and was a Third Team All-ODAC selection as a senior.

Zimmerman will now be the W&L and ODAC representative for several additional awards, including the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) regional and national awards.

If you know a W&L student who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.