She was just as delighted to share her joy with her teammates, coaches and family.
“It’s really exciting that I actually won it. I was up against some really good athletes from different areas of sports,” said Ehrlich, a sophomore and standout distance runner in cross country and track. “I just think it’s pretty cool in general that they had a track and field athlete because I don’t really know when the last time a track and field athlete has won something like this.”
It was indeed a huge night for the track and cross country programs. Freshman distance runner Damion Jackson was named Male Freshman of the Year and head cross country/assistant track coach Garrett Young the Coach of the Year.
“I think it was really cool to be able to represent my team and show that the track team is getting better as the years go on,” Ehrlich said. “We’re getting people for different areas of track – we’ve got sprinters, distance throwers … it’s just a really cool thing that we are building this program back up. We’re putting our name out there.”
Ehrlich, a graduate of Sacred Heart High School, did her part. She qualified for NAIA championships in cross country and indoor track and earned indoor All-America honors in the 1,000 meters and 4×800-meter relay.
She finished 158 places higher than she did as a freshman at the NAIA cross country meet and qualified for the finals of the NAIA indoor 1,000 meters in a school record time of 2:56.66. Her teammates in the 4×800 relay were Josie Koppas, Shelby Lingle and Joni Schroeder.
Ehrlich received a surprise earlier this month when learned she was chosen to compete in the 1,500 meters in the NAIA Outdoors Championships in Marion, Indiana. She didn’t meet the NAIA qualifying standard during the season, but the field fell short of the minimum number of entries and she received an invitation to compete after KWU coaches submitted her name for consideration.
The plethora of accomplishments aside Ehrlich was not expecting her named to be called during the Yotee ceremony.
“I was like ‘wait, what, he called me?'” she said. “It was a really cool feeling when it hit and it’s pretty cool just to see how the hard work has paid off and is continuing to pay off.”
Ehrlich says Young and Kyle Hiser, Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, are the reasons for her success.
“It’s cool to see where I started out as a freshman last year to how many gains I’ve made this year and how much stronger I’ve gotten,” she said. “I credit my coaches for being able to push me. It’s just progressively gotten better and better and I’m excited for the upcoming years to see what else I can do.”
Ehrlich gives ample credit to her parents Jeff and Jeanine.
“I cannot explain how much they have done for me,” she said. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them. They’ve been there with me every step of the way and I’m very grateful for that.”
Ehrlich said the award will help her confidence.
“I lack a lot of confidence sometimes but just seeing the success, my hard work pay-off is a big confidence booster,” she said. “It just pushes me to be better and I’m getting more confident with my running every single meet, every single race.”
2024 Yotee Awards Female Award Winners
Freshman of the Year: Odessa Ozuna, Basketball
Newcomer of the Year: Kylee Harris, Volleyball
Lone Coyote: Abby Donovan, Golf
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kiran Bailey, Competitive Dance
Mary Virginia Bevan Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Madisyn Ehrlich, Cross Country and Track
Other Award Winners
Best Comeback Win: Softball vs Bethany (Game 2)
Best Win over Bethany: Men’s Soccer
Best Developmental Team Win: Women’s Soccer
Best Overall Win: Flag Football vs Ottawa
Highest Team GPA: Women’s Cross Country and Competitive Dance
Assistant Coach of the Year: Jun Murdock – Men’s Basketball
Head Coach of the Year: Garrett Young – Cross Country
