NEW ORLEANS – University of Colorado graduate Emma Coburn was named the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year on Monday afternoon.

 

Coburn, a Crested Butte, Colo., native owns the NCAA’s fastest times in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 1,500-meter run this season. She raced to an eighth-place finish in the 1,500 as the OXY High Performance meet on May 17, finishing in 4:06.87, which also placed her second all-time in the NCAA. Coburn was the only collegiate runner in the race.

Emma Coburn

Emma Coburn

 

The steeplechase has been her signature event, and she has continued to dominate it throughout the season. Coburn debuted in the steeplechase at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite on April 28 and finished the race with the then-fastest time in the world at 9:28.26; just two days after running a 1,500 (4:11.36) in the elite section at Drake Relays. Currently her steeplechase time is the ninth-best in the world and leads the U.S. It is also second all-time in the NCAA.

 

Coburn won her first Pac-12 individual title in the steeplechase on May 11, crossing the finish in 9:55.67. She won by almost 13 seconds in front of Washington’s Marie Lawrence (10:08.19). At the NCAA West Preliminary Championships, Coburn had the best time (9:55.30) to automatically advance to the semifinals at NCAAs.

 

The 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championship is June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.

 

 

– Colorado –athletics media release

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