DENVER – The University of Denver was well-represented at the 50th anniversary Sportswomen of Colorado awards celebration on Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center.
Three DU student-athletes, head coach
Liza Kelly and her women's lacrosse program were among 40 honorees at the high school, collegiate and professional levels that were recognized for their achievements as female athletes and contribution to female athletics in Colorado during the year 2023.
Current senior
Jessica Hutchinson was recognized as the top collegiate gymnast, now-graduate student
Sam Thacker was honored at the top women's lacrosse player and freshman
Maira Carreau was the top collegiate triathlete in the state of Colorado. The Denver women's lacrosse team and
Kelly were also recognized for their record-breaking 2023 season.
Carreau was the first DU triathlete to win a national championship and became the 128th student-athlete in Denver Athletics history to earn an individual national title. Also the national freshman of the year, Carreau placed on the podium in all three collegiate races she competed in, finishing second in the Black Hills Collegiate Cup and winning the Eastern Regional National Qualifier to go along with her first-place result at the national championships in Tempe, Arizona, in November.
Hutchinson earned podium finishes in the all-around (tied for eighth) and on floor (tied for fourth) at the 2023 NCAA National Championships. She won the NCAA Regional beam title outright with a near-perfect 9.975 and finished tied for 13th in the nation in the event. Hutchinson tied what was then a career high in the all-around at the 2023 Big 12 Championship, winning a share of the floor title and finishing second in the all-around. She also registered two perfect 10.0s during the season.
Thacker was the DU women's lacrosse program's first two-time First-Team All American in 2023 and was selected as the National Defender of the Year as well as a Honda Sports Award for lacrosse finalist. She led the team with 53 caused turnovers—the third-most in a season in program history—ranked second on the team with 59 ground balls and third with 45 draw controls. Thacker was one of two players in the nation with 50 or more caused turnovers and ground balls and 40-plus draw controls.
Kelly was in her 17th season at the helm of the Pioneers women's lacrosse program in 2023 and guided the team to 22-1 record and a spot in the NCAA Championship Weekend for the first time. Denver had the most wins and tied for the fewest losses in the nation, as the team began the year by winning its first 22 games. The Pioneers captured their fourth consecutive Big East Conference regular-season title and third straight tournament championship.
Denver advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time in program history and won 5-4 in the elite eight at No. 4 North Carolina, the defending national champions. That victory was Kelly's 300th of her career, becoming the 13th Division-I coach to reach the milestone and did so in just 409 games (.733). Recognized with the 2023 IWLCA West/Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year, Kelly led Denver's top-rated defense by allowing just 6.22 goals per game—the fewest by any NCAA squad since Southern California in 2016 (5.81).
Sportswomen of Colorado was founded in 1974 and is a community-based organization that supports and honors female athletes, celebrates their achievements and recognizes those whose efforts have advanced girls' and women's individual and team sports endeavors. Sportswomen of Colorado also runs a scholarship program, funding sports camp experiences for deserving girls aged 9-13.
