Corrie Lothrop ruptured her Achilles tendon Feb. 1 and has missed the remainder of the season, but that didn’t stop her from earning some accolades.
Lothrop won the second annual Governor’s State of Sport award, honoring athletes and teams from all across Utah for their achievements. She was named Utah’s collegiate/pro female athlete of the year.
Because this is only the second year the award has been given, Lothrop said she was not familiar with it. But when the ceremony was all said and done, she was glad to have been a part of it and pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
“I was really honored that I was even nominated,” she said. “I was really surprised because I didn’t think I was going to win.”
Lothrop beat fellow Utes Michelle Plouffe, who is on the women’s basketball team and Maria Graefnings of the ski team. The football team’s Reggie Dunn and Star Lotulelei were nominated as collegiate male athletes of the year, and former Ute Paul Kruger, who is now with the Cleveland Browns, earned a nomination as one of Utah’s professional athletes after his run to the NFL championship with the Baltimore Ravens.
The awards ceremony was held Tuesday afternoon at the Zion’s Bank Basketball Center in Salt Lake City where the Utah Jazz work out. Attendees included Gov. Gary Herbert, U alumnus and booster Spencer Eccles, who earned a Lifetime Achievement award and tennis legend Andre Agassi, who was the keynote speaker.
Lothrop said she was glad to have the opportunity to rub shoulders with such influential figures. Her favorite part of the ceremony was a Q-and-A session with Agassi in which he shared insights from his athletic career.
He suggested athletes need only worry about what they can control and forget everything else. He used an example from his career, after he lost the No. 1 spot in the world tennis rankings, and Lothrop said she could relate given her current injury.
“I’ve heard that advice plenty of times before, but to hear it from him [was amazing],” she said.
Lothrop is unable to help her team in the way she would prefer as they prepare for nationals this weekend in Los Angeles, but co-head coach Megan Marsden was glad Lothrop was able to get some recognition although she is unable to compete.
“It’s good for her to have some strokes during this difficult time, with the fact that she had a serious injury and it takes her out for a long time,” Marsden said. “I think there can be some low days. And, not being a part of the team in the way she’d like to be right now, I’m happy for her to get stroked in that way because I think that’s good for getting through this.”