Jordyn Colter, Cherry Creek High School, leads other runners for another lap during the girls 800 meter race at the Liberty Bell Track Meet at Littleton Public Schools Stadium April 27, 2013. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Cherry Creek High School distance runner Jordyn Colter was named the 2015 Gatorade Colorado girls track and field athlete of the year on Wednesday. Colter is the first female from Cherry Creek with Gatorade Colorado track and field athlete of the year honors.
The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track.
Colter is the best female runner in the state, but she may also be the best nationally, and is a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National girls track and field athlete award, which will be announced in June. She was also the Gatorade Colorado girls cross country runner of the year for the 2011-2012 season.
The 5-foot-5 senior standout won the Class 5A 800-meter run with a state-record time of 2:04.56, and with 4:46.22 at the Colorado state track and field meet this past season. Colter also anchored the winning 4×800-meter relay team (9:07.54). The Cherry Creek Bruins finished in sixth place as a team.
Her 800-meter time at this year’s state meet, mile time of 4:41.10 at the Prefontaine Classic and 1,600-meter time of 4:43.66 at the Arcadia Invitational all ranked as top-10 national prep performances.
Off the track, Colter has maintained a 3.56 GPA, is a member of Cherry Creek’s principal advisory and student athletic advisory committees and has volunteered on behalf of the Special Olympics and National Honor Society. She signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at the University of California, Berkeley this fall.
“As a coach, you hope to find athletes that can first understand what success really is, then you hope they will be willing to do the hard work and make the sacrifices and commitments that are necessary to achieve that success,” Cherry Creek head coach Sally Adams-Moos said in a press release.
“Finally, you hope to find an athlete who when success is at hand can relax, have fun, enjoy the competition, and have the inner confidence to have their best performance. Jordyn Colter has been this type of student-athlete for Cherry Creek High School the last four years.”
Colter joins the elite list of other recent Gatorade Colorado girls track and field athletes of the year: Dior Hall (2013-14, 2010–11, George Washington High School), Ana Holland (2012-13, Regis Jesuit High School), Valarie Allman (2011-12, Silver Creek High School), Eleanor Fulton (2009-10, Highlands Ranch), LaTraia Scott (2008–09, Coronado), Emily Blok (2007-08, Conifer) and Sarah Cocco (2006-07, Fairview).
Visit the to find more information on nominations, complete lists of past winners and the Gatorade National Player of the Year announcement.
