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Princeton University Athletics
Caroline Kane Wins University's Spirit of Princeton Award
May 18, 2026 | Women's Soccer
Princeton women's soccer senior Caroline Kane has been named one of eight recipients of the 2026 Allen Macy Dulles '51 Spirit of Princeton Award, honoring undergraduates who have made positive contributions to campus life.
The Spirit of Princeton Award recognizes students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the undergraduate experience through student organizations, athletics, community service, religious life, residential life and the arts. Sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students, the award has been presented annually since 1995.
Kane, a defender from Los Altos, Calif., is set to graduate with a degree in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. She is a member of Rockefeller College and has been active across campus through her work as a two-year president of the Student-Athlete Service Council (SASC), a Student-Athlete Wellness Leader (SAWL), a SHARE (Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education) Peer, a Team IMPACT Campus Fellow, and the activities chair of the Cannon Dial Elm eating club. Her involvement extended into campus employment and operations roles as well, including work as a student operator for Princeton's University Operator line, as a Dillon Gym facilities coordinator, and as a 50th Reunions crew manager.
"I am so happy that Caroline's incredible efforts have been acknowledged with the prestigious Spirit of Princeton Award," Princeton head coach Sean Driscoll said. "From the minute she arrived at the university, she has extended kindness and compassion to everyone around her. Her capacity of making others feel truly valued and cared for is a gift and forms the epicenter of a wonderfully unique personality. Caroline fiercely and wholeheartedly invests in her relationships and service initiatives. It is that superpower which she has shared with members of SASC, SAWL, SHARE, Team IMPACT, Cannon and the Princeton community since the fall of 2022. Our staff and program are beyond proud of Caroline's selflessness and profound impact across campus."
Through her many leadership and service roles, Kane has helped connect Princeton student-athletes with the broader community, support student-athlete well-being, and strengthen a campus environment built on care, inclusion and service. Those who nominated her for the award highlighted her ability to bring people together, support peers in difficult moments, and turn her energy and compassion into visible action across campus.
On the field, Kane played in 38 career games with 26 starts for the Tigers, helping the team to back-to-back Ivy League titles while totaling 2,245 minutes as a defender. As a senior in 2025, she appeared in 15 games, made 11 starts, recorded an assist against Columbia on Oct. 25, and played the full 90 minutes six times, including both Ivy League Tournament games and each of Princeton's final four Ivy League contests.
Kane's work in student-athlete wellness and service has connected closely with her academic and professional interests. In the summer of 2025, she interned with Major League Baseball's mental health and safety programs, also interned with Onrise Care, which focuses on athlete mental health, and wrote her senior thesis on emotion regulation in college athletics.
Kane is one of eight Princeton students selected for the 2026 Spirit of Princeton Award from more than 200 nomination letters submitted on behalf of outstanding undergraduates.
