The Sportswomen of Colorado is a community based organization that was founded in 1974. Each year female athletes of all levels are honored and celebrated. This year, Colorado Mesa University led all other schools and organizations with four selections.
Alumna Paige Adair, redshirt senior Lily Borgenheimer, redshirt junior Marissa Gallegos and redshirt sophomore Shannon Feran were the four athletes awarded for their 2022 performances.
Paige Adair-Softball
While Aidar is not currently an athlete at CMU, she left a lasting impact on the softball program. Aidar played junior college softball for her freshman year, before she transferred to CMU in the summer of 2018.
In Aidar’s first two seasons with the program she was good, but her last two seasons is where she etched her name as an all-time Maverick.
The alumna won back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Pitcher of the Year awards, on top of many other accomplishments and awards. In Adair’s last season, she broke the school single season ERA record, posting an absurd ERA of 1.30.
Aidar now serves as an assistant coach for the softball team at RMAC rival Fort Lewis College
Lily Borgenheimer- Swimming
Borgenheimer is a well-rounded swimmer, who competes in the freestyle, breaststroke and individual medley races. She is originally from Chippewa Falls, Wis., and began her college career at Minnesota State University.
After transferring to CMU in 2020, Borgenheimer’s career took off. In her 2020- 21 junior season, she won six conference titles,
earned three All-American honors and set six school records in what some say is the best season in CMU athletic history.
In Borgenheimer’s senior season, she became the first national champion in program history, winning the 200 yard breaststroke with a time of 2:11.56. She was also recognized as a Sportswomen of Colorado that year as well in addition to being an academic All-American.
Now, in her final collegiate season, Borgenheimer and her teammates are competing in the RMAC championships this week at their home pool, the El Pomar Natatorium.
Marissa Gallegos- Wrestling
Like Borgenheimer, Gallegos also was recognized as a Sportswoman of Colorado the previous year. After redshirting her freshman season, Gallegos has dominated ever since, with a career record of 82-8.
“This award shows that my hard work does not go unnoticed, even if I fell short of my goal last season. It goes beyond accolades of winning first place at nationals; it shows the warrior in me can still be acknowledged and appreciated, as that will stay with me in everything I do,” Gallegos said.
Not only is the 123-pound redshirt junior a three time All-American, but she is also a three time academic All-American.
Away from CMU, Gallegos competes at the highest international level, wrestling as an alternate for the USA Wrestling Senior National team. In 2020, Gallegos was able to defeat former Olympian Kelsey Campbell at the US Open Olympic trials.
Currently in her fourth season in the program Gallegos supports a perfect 16-0 record, and is ranked first nationally. Next month Gallegos will be in Iowa to compete for a national championship.
For Feran, she began her CMU career as a member of the swim and track team. After her freshman year, she chose to switch to a new sport and became a triathlete.
In Feran’s first season with the triathlon team, she overcame learning a new sport, and was a consistent contributor for the team. The next season, Feran entered national conversation as a triathlete. Last August, she won the USA Triathlon Age Group National Title, beating over 900 other women.
In addition to winning a national race, Feran took first at the Desert Edge Triathlon last September, and has been a consistent top ten finisher. Feran has also excelled in the classroom, becoming a two-time academic All-American last season.
“I’m thankful for my family, and for all of the support they have given me in my switch to a new sport. I have been training very hard over the past year, and I’m so excited to see it all pay off,” Feran said.
Feran’s triathlon career has gotten off to a fast start, but the redshirt sophomore still has two years of eligibility to rack up even more awards and honors.
The 49th annual awards celebration will be held on Sunday, March 12 at the Hyatt Regency Denver, where the athletes will receive their awards.
