FEATURES

National Honorees...

Tuesday, 09 January 2018 23:10

Minnesota's premier amateur multisport athletes have always been prominent in USA Triathlon's Athlete of the Year conversation. Since the millennial change, it is a rare season wherein several of our state's athletes were not honored.

In the last three years, Minnesotans have fared especially well, with 27 (!) of our state's athletes receiving national recognition.

Pretty cool, huh? Check it out:

2016 -

- Patrick Parish - Men's Elite Duathlon of the Year (photo L)

- Matthew Payne - Men's AG Duathlete of the Year HM

- Jenn Scudiero - Women's AG Duathlete of the Year HM

- Derek Hager - Men's AG Master of the Year HM

- Manuel Knispel - Women's AG Master of the Year

2015 - 

- Matthew Payne - Men's Triathlete of the Year HM

- Tony Schiller - Men's Master of the Year ...

- Kevin O'Connor - AG Men's Master of the Year HM

- Cheryl Zitur - AG Women's Master of the Year HM

- Patrick Parish - Men's Elite Duathlete of the Year

- Matthew Payne - Men's Duathlete of the Year

- Bennett Isabella - Men's Duathlete of the Year HM

- Nate Hoffman - Men's Duathlete of the Year HM

- Suzie Fox - Women's Duathlete of the Year HM

- Jenn Scudiero - Women's Duathlete of the Year HM (photo R)

- James Hannon - Men's Master Duathlete of the Year HM

- Kevin O'Connor - Men's Master Duathlete of the Year HM

- Manuela Knispel - Women's Master Duathlete of the Year HM

2014 - 

- Heather Lendway - Women's Triathlete of the Year

- Matthew Payne - Men's Triathlete of the Year HM

- Tony Schiller - Men's Master Triathlete of the Year HM

- Dan Hedgecock - Men's Elite Duathlete of the Year

- Ruth Brennan Morrey - Women's Elite Duathlete of the Year

- Patrick Parish - Men's Elite Duathlete of the Year HM

- Matthew Payne - Men's Duathlete of the Year

- Diane Hankee - Women's Duathlete of the Year HM

- Kevin O'Connor - Men's Master Duathlete of the Year HM

How will Minnesotans fare when USAT AOY's 2017  list is revealed in the coming weeks? We suspect that the list will not feature as many of our state's best as in the previous three seasons. But we believe that two Minnesotans HAVE to be honored, to be left off the list would be shameful. There are also a few who deserve recognition, but did not race at Nationals, thus they will likely not be considered.

We will reveal who we believe will receive national honors in a future post.