Year: 2025
Award: Contribution to Sport
Location/Affiliation: Colorado Swim and Dive
Dedicated more than 58 years to Colorado Swim and Dive as an athlete, coach, official, educator and leader
Monica Abelein has dedicated more than 55 years to swimming and diving in Colorado as a competitor, coach, official, and meet director. A graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School, Monica’s impact on the sport has been extraordinary. She has refereed more than 50 high school state championships, 41 as head deck referee, and served two terms as the state’s rules interpreter. She has represented Colorado on the National High School Swimming & Diving Rules Committee and continues to officiate at CHSAA state championships today. Monica served as meet referee during all five of Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin’s high school championship seasons at Regis Jesuit. In 2024, she received the CHSAA Tom “The Bomb” Robinson Award for her contributions to sport. And just last month, she was inducted into the Colorado Swimming Hall of Fame. In a field traditionally dominated by men, Monica has been a defining figure, mentoring generations of officials and championing fairness, education, and opportunity.
