Year: 2022
Award: Cross Country, College
Location/Affiliation: Adams State University
- 2-Time National Cross Country Champion
- D-II Women’s National Cross Country Athlete of the Year
After extensive research, we’re pretty sure this is only the second time Sportswomen of Colorado has recognized an athlete from Ireland with an individual award. And the first time we did, this same Irish sportswoman was honored… with the same award!
She’s Stephanie Cotter from Adams State University in Alamosa, our two-time College Cross Country Runner of the Year.
The number “two” was good luck for Stephanie in 2022. She won her second NCAA Division II National Championship, completing the 6K course in 19 minutes, 45 seconds, and beating the runner-up by a remarkable 42.5 seconds. It was the largest margin of victory in meet history and led Adams State to its third straight national title.
Then, to cap it all off, she was named the 2022 NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year… for the second time.
Championships and honors are nothing new to Stephanie. When she first arrived on campus in the San Luis Valley, she was already the Irish Under-19 National Champion.
Stephanie Cotter gets it done on two continents! Congratulations to our 2-time international honoree.
By Marcia Nevile, Former Sports Broadcaster, 2-Time SWOC Honoree