RICHMOND, Va. – Elon University women’s cross country sophomore Maria Ahm and Phoenix head cross country coach Kevin Jermyn were honored as the 2020-21 Colonial Athletic Association’s Women’s Runner and Women’s Coach of the Year, respectively, as the league announced its postseason awards on Thursday, April 1.
Ahm became the third straight Elon runner to win the individual title at the CAA Cross Country Championships after setting a league meet record time of 19:37 in the women’s 6K. During the season, Ahm was twice named the CAA Women’s Runner of the Week and won the CAA title by over 12 seconds faster than the runner up. The Holbæk, Denmark, native later became the first Elon female runner to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships where she finished 82nd among 253 competitors at the meet.
Ahm also becomes the third Elon female to be named the CAA Women’s Runner of the Year, joining Scolasticah Kemei (2019) and Coralea Geraniotis (2018).
Jermyn picks up his second straight CAA Women’s Coach of the Year accolade after helping the Elon women win its second consecutive league championship in March. In his fourth year of directing the Phoenix distance runners, Jermyn led the Elon women to three meet wins during the season including the CAA championship while also coaching seven All-CAA performers between the men’s and women’s squads in 2020-21.