Outstanding Colorado High School Distance Athlete Award
EMMA STUTZMAN – Pomona HS
Emma is all about Pomona! Her parents, Jessie and Chad, were also standout Pomona athletes (Chad in wrestling, Jessie in track) who encourage Emma and her siblings to represent their school with pride. She doesn’t just compete for Pomona, however, she also attends many school sporting events and cheers for her fellow athletes in their own arenas! Emma was a swimmer for Pomona her sophomore and junior years, has been a captain of the XC team for 2 years, and always puts her squad first. Her top concern is for the health and performance of her teammates and tries to maintain a consistently positive attitude about workouts, strength-training, races, and the combined pressures of being a student-athlete in a changing world. Emma displays a goofy, unbridled joy amid the daily demands of high school life, providing a relaxed and supportive atmosphere for everyone in her orbit. Her Coach at Pomona, Jack Schwartz, describes Emma as a consummate student of the sport, eager to learn and grow, and always willing to put in the hard work required for a successful result. Emma participates in Wish Week activities at Pomona to support the Make-a-Wish foundation, maintains a high academic GPA, and has been a wonderful ambassador for her school and her sport over her years at Pomona. She will attend Northern Arizona University to continue her running journey there, and proudly wear that school’s colors for what will surely be another 4 years of adventure and improvement!
PR’s: 2:13.60 for 800m, 4:49.31 for mile, 4:53.3 for 1600m, 9:56.34 for 3200m, 16:44.00 for 5k
High School Distance Runner Achievement Award Winners
TYLER DOWNS – Mountain Vista HS
As a finalist for the 2022 Colorado Gatorade Boys XC Athlete of the Year, Tyler Downs has plenty to be proud of and many accomplishments to enjoy. But at Mountain Vista HS, there seems to be a wealth of runners who shine and occupy the spotlight—-including some who have been honored at this very event! Tyler certainly deserves his own podium, however. Instead of hanging out in the shadows, he brings his own light to the distance running show. Tyler began competing way back in elementary school, winning his very first race at a feeder school XC event. He is a voracious student of the sport and respects those who have set the standards and those who push him in competition. Tyler loves anything outdoors (soccer is his 2nd favorite) and is up for any kind of workout, always leading his team by example. A hard worker, a top student, a willing and very coachable athlete who is invested in his team’s success as much as his own puts Tyler up there with some of the very best that Vista Nation’s XC tradition has produced over the years. He is more than ready for the next step in his journey at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where being a runner is more than a joy, it’s a reward!
PR’s: 1:52.79 for 800m, 4:11.75 for mile, 4:14.92 for 1600m, 9:06.47 for 3200m, 14:59.63 for 5k
CHRISTIAN GROENDYK – Fort Collins HS
Long before the 2022 cross-country season kicked off, Christian expressed his goals to his Fort Collins HS coach, Tom Ruthven. Atop his list of “to do’s” was a victory at the prestigious Liberty Bell meet at Heritage HS in Littleton. It’s an annual madhouse of high school speedsters, lined up shoulder-to-shoulder across a neighborhood street with start times only minutes apart all afternoon. Each team is positioned single-file behind each other as they await the crack of the starter’s pistol. Amid that organized chaos, and just moments before he dashed down the course, Christian bolted from the group and somehow found Coach Ruthven. “Thanks, Coach!”, he said with a grin—and sprinted back to the line. He then navigated the twisty course in champion fashion and won in 14:48 – Mission accomplished! This seemingly small gesture of appreciation is characteristic of Christian’s personality and approach to his athletic goals—train hard, stay positive, and appreciate the people who help you maximize your gift.
Following Liberty Bell, Christian went on to win the Sweepstakes division of the Desert Twilight meet in Arizona, the Front Range League Championship, the 5A Region 4 Championship, and the 5A State Championship races. Christian was chosen as the Colorado Gatorade XC Athlete of the Year 2022, the CHSAA 5A Boys XC Runner of the Year 2022, was ranked in the MileSplit top 50 and DyeStat top 100 for 2022, and earned All-State Academic honors both his junior and senior seasons. He displays confidence, patience, and trust in the process of both training and racing, and always acknowledges his formidable competition with respect. Christian is a star in the classroom as well—his acceptance to Princeton is evidence of that! He is president of the Fort Collins HS Key Club, a member of the Math Honor Society and Science Honor Society, competed in both the Knowledge Bowl and the National Science Bowl, and volunteers as a youth track coach and at the Larimer County Food Bank. His goals for college academics and athletics are lofty, but Christian is one brainy runner no one should bet against. He exemplifies all the qualities a coach could wish for…and someday Christian will likely BE that coach! The Princeton Tigers will definitely get much stronger (and smarter) with Christian on their squad.
PR’s: 2:00.07 for 800m, 4:17.07 for 1600m, 8:54.43 for 3200m, 14:48 for 5k
NOLAN HOFFMAN – Mead HS
Mead is a relatively small town, but small doesn’t mean lacking. This community has some big pride, big heart, and big support for its young athletes. In a world of choices, Nolan Hoffman chose to stay right in his own backyard and compete for his own hometown high school. He is fiercely devoted to the program at Mead, and to his teammates as well. Nolan connects with all of them, from the newest freshman to the seasoned varsity group. He served as Team Captain, guiding his fellow Mavericks through all the little things that add up to a winning result. Nolan enjoys the analytical and physiological aspects of the sport of distance running and has an unmatched work ethic. He is very self-motivated, frequently chasing down his competitors, prompting his team to dub him “the Assassin”, a nickname Nolan is quite ok with! His drive has taken them to finish 5th as a team at the State XC meet in 2021, and 8th in 2022. Nolan battled to the final stride of the 2022 4A State XC race, winning the title by just 0.30 seconds! Early on, Nolan was a 3-sport athlete at Mead, but once he devoted his energies to just running, he saw incredible progression through the 2022 XC season. Nolan is an active volunteer and an ambassador for Mead, his school, and his sport. We are fortunate that Nolan will remain in Colorado—having committed to the School of Mines in Golden—-so we can continue to watch him race and thrive here. It would not at all be surprising to see him coach someday and spread his endless energy to some deserving kids—whether they’re from a small town or a big city.
PR’s: 2:01.22 for 800m, 4:21.01 for 1600m, 9:30.14 for 3200m, 15:22.20 for 5k
EMILY LAMONTAGNE – Arapahoe HS
Her Coach describes Emily as a quiet warrior, willing to put in the work necessary to advance her progression in both athletics AND academics. If her teammates and competitors challenge her to up her game, she always gives her best effort, which led to a big improvement during her junior year. She made the “jump” in classic fashion, going from 29th at State as a freshman, to 8th the next year, then 3rd as a junior. Nagging and persistent illnesses hampered her senior XC season, but Emily still finished in the top 10 at the XC State meet, and is poised to post some great times this spring on the track. Emily has made 2 All-State teams, 4 All-Region and 4 All-League teams, earned 2nd team All-American honors, and she finished 15th at the Running Lane Nationals race in 2021. Beyond her athletic achievements, Emily has served on the DECA Executive Board at Arapahoe and has been an active member of that organization throughout high school. She has committed to run at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where Emily will surely fight on quietly, with grace and strength, forged from both her successes and her struggles. Each is a key element to building a warrior!
PR’s: 2:13.94 for 880m, 4:53.03 for 1600m, 10:40.67 for 3200m, 16:53.85 for 5k
AVA MITCHELL – Arapahoe HS
The only child of her parents Emily and Kate, Ava grew up loving anything outside, including soccer and of course running. She began competing with the Colorado Coyotes youth group in middle school, and kept up with soccer through her freshman year at Arapahoe. When she switched to full-time running, Ava saw great progress with her performances. She is extremely coachable, a voracious student of the sport, and a dedicated athlete who never skirts the hard work out days—embracing them as critical to her continued development as a runner and using them to show her younger teammates how champions are built. Ava was chosen team captain this year, and doesn’t take that honor for granted. She shows incredible sportsmanship on and off the race course. This past fall the Arapahoe XC team had two freshmen boys on their team with Down Syndrome, and Ava took extra care to welcome them both and help get them to practices. Her passion for running has led to team championships in both 2019 and 2021, with a runner-up placing in 2020. Arapahoe girls’ team also took 3rd at Running Lane Nationals in 2021. Ava is a 4-time All-State first team member, a 4-time All-Region member, and holds a 4.18 GPA as an AP Scholar at Arapahoe. She is heading for Northern Arizona University to continue her running and scholastic journey, where altitude and attitude make for top-tier student athletes. Ava will fit right in!
PR’s: 2:17.13 for 800m, 4:59.60 for 1600m, 10:53.73 for 3200m, 17:17.00 for 5k
BROOKE WILSON – Valor Christian HS
Commitment isn’t just a noun for Brooke—it’s a lifestyle. She is committed to her school, her team, her sport, and her faith with such devotion that it transcends the ordinary vision of a student-athlete. Brooke has been a distance runner since before middle school—competing in club races and quickly becoming a standout performer in a variety of distances. Her work ethic extends beyond the athletic realm into the classroom and to several volunteer organizations including Open Door Ministries and Art for the Nations. Brooke even helps out in the nursery at her church! Her bubbly, happy and relaxed attitude about life transfers to her teammates, helping them feel positive and capable about their tasks ahead.
Brooke injured her achilles during the 2022 track season but took her recovery and rehabilitation very seriously so she could come back even stronger in the fall, which she certainly did! Brooke won the prestigious Desert Twilight XC meet in AZ early season, then proceeded to break the State XC course record (set in 2016) by over 8 seconds, winning the title in 16:59.2. She led her Valor Christian team to 2nd place in the 5A team standings. Post season, Brooke went on to finish runner-up at Nike Cross-Country Nationals and received the Gatorade Colorado XC Runner of the Year award. She even won a 9News Swag Chain!! Last month, Brooke battled to a first-place finish at the Nike Indoor Nationals 2-mile HS race in a blistering 10:15.95. She is well on her way to a stellar outdoor season in 2023. Brooke is also on her way to Wake Forest University, where her continued commitment to excellence will be much appreciated!
PR’s: 2:14.32 for 800m, 4:54.17 for mile, 9:59.49 for 3200m, 16:50.75 for 5k
Colorado Running Hall of Fame 