ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference will honor former Washington women’s soccer goalkeeper Mia Hamant by renaming its postseason shot-stopping laurel as the Mia Hamant Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year Award, the conference announced Thursday.

Hamant, who inspired so many with her courageous fight against Stage 4 kidney cancer, passed away on November 6, 2025.

“Already a leader on the field and a national standout in the goal, Mia Hamant not only inspired the University of Washington, its athletic department and its soccer program, she inspired all of the Big Ten and so many more with the spirit displayed in facing one of the toughest challenges one can face,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “The Big Ten will keep her memory and story alive with this coveted honor bearing her name.”

Three days after her passing, Hamant’s unwavering resilience could be felt as Washington took the field at Energizer Park in St. Louis for the final of the 2025 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament. In the best way they knew how, the Huskies honored their teammate and friend by winning the match on penalty kicks, defeating Michigan State for their first-ever Big Ten Tournament title.

As a member of the Husky women’s soccer program, Hamant was one of the top goalkeepers in the Big Ten during the 2024 season. She led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with a save percentage of 0.882, had the third-lowest single-season goals against average in program history (0.66) and tallied seven shutouts, which tied for sixth in Washington’s record book. Hamant was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, a 2024 Big Ten All-Tournament Team selection and a 2025 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.