Senior distance runner Anna Fauske was named the 2024-25 Athlete of the Year by the UCCS Department of Athletics.
The department announced Fauske as the recipient of the award on May 6. The Athlete of the Year Award is presented annually to the top male and female student-athletes who have showcased the highest level of accomplishments and contributions to their respective sport and program.
Fauske has been running the 10K, 5K and 3K at UCCS for four years. This indoor season, Fauske qualified for nationals in the 3K and 5K while also being named First-Team All-America in both events.
Fauske’s long list of accomplishments also includes the titles of USTFCCCA All-Region, First Team All-RMAC and RMAC All-Academic First Team for her events.
On April 27, the Mountain Lions took first place overall in the RMAC Outdoor Championship. Fauske placed first in the 10K and got second in the 5K.
With the outdoor championship over, Fauske’s running career at UCCS is coming to a close. “It’s bittersweet. I’m glad I went here, and I wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere else, but it’s still hard moving on from a team you’ve known for four years,” Fauske said.
Fauske emphasized the importance of community on the track team. “Being on this team, I’ve realized that I genuinely love everyone on it,” she said. “There’s not a single person I’m not friends with. That’s why I love UCCS and this team because it fosters trust and really builds up a community.”
Fauske started running in the fourth grade. “It was not easy and just felt like something I was meant to do. I ran in middle school, and my mom influenced me because she ran in college. My dad was a golfer in college, so athletics are a big part of our family.”
When Fauske was younger, she would frequently go on runs with her mother. This encouraged her to continue running and improving herself to be the best she could be.
For her training regimen, Fauske runs 65 miles a week. “We wake up at 6 to 6:30 a.m. every morning and go to practice,” she said. “We have meets every weekend as well, so it gets pretty busy.”
When she isn’t occupied with balancing school and athletics, Fauske makes time for hobbies outside of the classroom and off the track. “I really like watercolors, painting. I really like hammocking and hanging out with my roommates.”
Although Fauske will finish competing, she plans to take her education to the next level. She is currently getting her undergraduate degree in health and wellness promotion, and is intent on participating in the accelerated program for nursing at UCCS next semester.
Fauske wants to pursue a career in the medical field, with an emphasis on women’s health. “I want to work in an oncology clinic or just something advocating for women’s health in nursing.”
Students can watch Fauske and the Mountain Lions compete in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships May 22-24 in Pueblo, Colorado.
Senior Anna Fauske after a race at the RMAC Indoor Championships in March. Photo by Lillian Davis.