2021 CTS Women’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year

Colorado Track Stats has decided to break down the non-former Colorado High School T&F athletes into four categories for the CTS T&F athlete of the year.  This might not be taken well with some, but I think it is very fair and interesting. The four categories are as followed:

As opposed to the other CTS athlete of the year list where you had to be formally from a Colorado High School, this list is only made up from the CTS College/Universities and Soil lists.

The first is athletes that are US citizens that did not go to a Colorado College/Universities.  Marks of course came from the CTS Soil List.

The second is athletes that are US citizens that did go to a Colorado College/Universities and also could have been on the CTS Soil List as well.

The third is athletes that did go to a Colorado College/University that are non-US citizen and also could appear on the CTS Soil List.

The fourth is athletes that appear only on the CTS Soil List that are non-US citizens.

The Top-3 (first section)

Women

#1 Katie Nageotte, this one was a no brainer. While at Ashland College in 2013 she became the NCAA II Champion in Pueblo, CO at 14-5 1/4, which is at #10 on the CTS Soil List.  Glad she did not quit vaulting as she was the 2021 Olympic Game Champion at 16-0 3/4!!  She had a vault of 16-2 1/2 at the Olympic Trials, which is the 4th best vault of all time!!  Hope she comes back to Colorado someday.

#2 Alicia Monson, runs for On Athletics Club and coached by former Olympian and CU Buff great Dathan Ritzenhein.  Alicia who has the 5th faster mile ran on Colorado Soil in 2020 (4:37.6), tore it up in 2021!  She placed 13th in the Olympic 10000 Meters (31:21.36) and had bests of 14:42.56 in the 5000 Meters (4th best ever by an American), 8:40.08 3000 Meters, 4:07.09 1500 Meters all in 2021.  Just to add to her great 2021, she just won the USATF 2022 Cross Country Nationals!  Watch out for her in 2022 on the track!!

#3 Cory Mcgee, runs for New Balance and Team Boss and coached by former CU Buff great Joe Bosshard.  Cory who has the 2nd fastest mile ran on Colorado Soil in 2020 (4:33.39), was 12th in the Olympic 1500 Meters (4:05.50) but had a 2021 best in the event of 4:00.67, 3rd best by an American in 2021.  She also blazed a 1:59.17 800 Meters, 10th best American in 2021.

Leah O’Connor 1500 Meters, Mile, 5000 Meters, Steeple

Emily Oren, Steeple, 1500Leah O’Connor Meters, Mile, 5000 Meters

Carmen Graves, Steeple, 1500 Meters

Amada Rego, 1500 Meters

Maggie Montoya, 5000 Meters

Samantha Noennig, Shot Put, Discus Throw

Tansey Lystad, 5000 Meters, 10000 Meters

Sally Kipyego, Marathon

Jenn Suhr, Pole Vault

Kortney Ross, Pole Vault

The Top-3 (second section)

#1 Mahala Norris, ran for the Air Force Academy under coach Ralph Lindeman and had a great 2021 season.  She ran a 9:31.79 Steeple and won the NCAA Division I Nationals!  That mark is the 3rd fastest CTS Steeple in the College/University List.  She also won the Mountain West Conference 5000 Meters (15:39.13).  Also had a respectable 1500 Meters (4:15.98).

#2 Sage Hurta, ran for Colorado University under coach Mark Wetmore and ran some very fast times in 2021.  She won the NCAA Indoor Division I mile (4:30.58) and later ran a 4:26.76 in that event which was the 4th fastest American in 2021.  She was 2nd in the Outdoor NCAA 1500 Meters in 4:09.42, and later ran 4:07.50.  She ran a 2:01.53 800 Meters to win the PAC-12 Outdoor Conference.  At The Olympic Trials in the opening round, she went 2:00.08.  In the semi she fell and did not advance.   That 800-mark rates #2 on the CTS College/University List.  Watch out for her in 2022!!

#3 Carrie Verdon, former CU Buff and now running for T.E.A.M. Boulder coached under former Olympian Lee Troop captured the #3 spot.  She was 10th in the Olympic Trials 5000 Meters in 15:54.04 and had a 15:18.56 in that event earlier in the year.  Was 27th in Olympic Trials 10000 Meters (33:18.61).  She had great range as she was 7th in the Chicago Marathon in 2:31:51. This #3 spot was close as she beat out two former CU Buff’s, Dani Jones and Makena Morley, which both had a great 2021.

Others that received votes: no particular order

Sara Vaughn, 800 Meters, 1500 Meters, Mile, Marathon

Jaci Smith, 10000 Meters

Jenny Simpson, 1500 Meters

Madison Boreman, 800 Meters, 1500 Meters, Steeple

Shelley Spires, High Jump

The Top-3 (third section)

#1 Shadae Lawrence, former Colorado State grad and coached under Brian Bedard and also is the CTS #1 College/University Discus Thrower (213-5).  She placed 7th at the 2021 Olympic Games (203-10), throwing for Jamicia.  She had a best throw of 219-11 in 2021, which was the 5th best in the world for 2021 and a Jamicia National Record!

#2 Alicja Konieczek, former Western Colorado University grad and now runs for On Athletics Club and coached by former Olympian and CU Buff great Dathan Ritzenhein.  While at Western she was one of the NCAA Division II greats.  She has the CTS #6 College/University mile mark at 4:36.09 as well as the #6 on that list in the steeple (9:36.09).   At the 2021 Olympic Games she ran the steeple in 9:31.79 and PRed at 9:27.79 earlier in the year running for Poland.

#3 Eilish Flanagan, ran at Adams State University and coached by Damon Martin, ran the CTS #4 steeple for College/University (9:34.86) at the Olympic Games for Ireland.  She had a #4 (4:23.42) 1500 on the CTS Soil list, and a 6:13.50 2000 Meter Steeple race, which was #2 in the world for 2021.  This #3 spot was fought out by the sisters of Alicja Konieczek (Aneta) and Eilish Flanagan (Roisin).

Others that received votes: no particular order

Aneta Konieczek, 800 Meters, 1500 Meters, Mile, 5000 Meters, Steeple

Roisin Flanagan, 1500 Meters, 3000 Meters, Mile, 5000 Meters

Stephanie Cotter, 1500 Meters, Mile

The Top-3 (fourth section)

#1 Katerina Stefanidi, her 14-11 1/2 in 2015 ranks #3 on the CTS Soil list, however she was ranked #3 in the world in 2021 in the Pole Vault!!  She was 4th at the 2021 Olympic Games with a 15-9 vaulting for Greece!  She has been ranked in the world multiple times with a personal best of 16-1 1/4 in 2017.

#2 Danielle Williams, in 2013 at the NCAA II Outdoor Championships in Pueblo, CO, she achieved CTS Soil marks at #2 in the 100 Meter Hurdles (12.89), #6 at 200 Meters (22.62), and #11 in the 100 Meters (11.24)!!  The 100 and 200 that year was ran against the wind or her CTS Soil rankings would have been higher. At the Jamaican 2021 Olympic Trials she just missed the Olympic Games by one spot.  She did have a 12.50 in 2021 which was the #6 time in the world.  She has a 12.32 in 2019 which is the #8 all-time mark in the 100 Meter Hurdles.

#3 Jorinde Vanklinken, ranks #7 on the CTS Shot Put Soil List at 58-3/4, however she is a great discus thrower as well.  She placed 14th at the 2021 Olympic Games for the Netherlands with a 200-4 throw.  She had a giant throw of 230-4 in Arizona this year. That throw was the second best in 2021.  She never lost a discus competition in 2021 until the Olympics.

Others that received votes: no particular order

Aisha Praught, 1500 Meters

Dom Scott Efurd, 5000 Meters, 10000 Meters

Atsede Baysa, Marathon

Kemba Nelson, 60 Meters, 100 Meters

Well, if I missed something please let me know.  Click on these athletes’ names to see more about them.  Men’s 2021 CTS athlete of the year will be in the next blog.

Have fun and GOD Bless