Emma Coburn (2023) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Emma Coburn

Induction:
2023
Class:
2013

A six-time All-American, including on three occasions as an NCAA champion, winning titles in 2013 in the mile run (indoors) and the 2011 and 2013 steeplechase (outdoors) … Also a four-time conference champion (three steeplechase, one indoor 3,000-meter run) … One of 10 Buffaloes across all sports to have won three or more national titles … A three-time co-recipient of CU’s Female Athlete of the Year honor (2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13) and also the co-recipient of CU’s Female Career Athletic Achievement Award as a senior … In 2011, her fourth and final year of eligibility in cross country, she earned first-team All-Pac 12, All-Region and All-America honors, helping CU win the inaugural Pac-12 title and the Mountain Region crown (11th in the NCAA) … She redshirted during the 2011-12 academic year to focus on the U.S. Olympic Trials (running the fastest on American soil and the fourth-fastest ever by an American with a 9:25.28 effort). The move paid off, as she became the youngest member at age 21 on the 2012 U.S. team; in her debut, she placed third in the prelims (9:27.51) and finished ninth in the final with her then personal best of 9:23.54 … She returned to CU for her fifth-year of eligibility for the 2012-13 season … In 2016, she made history as the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in the steeplechase, winning the bronze in Rio de Janeiro … The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame’s co-Female Amateur Athlete of the Year for 2016 … That same year, Sportswomen of Colorado selected her as the Sportswoman of the Year (she was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2012) … She is a 10-time U.S. champion in the steeplechase (in as many attempts), and a two-time world medalist in the steeple (gold in 2017, silver in 2019) ; she won the event twice as a student at CU (2011, 2012), a rare accomplishment for a collegian … A five-time world qualifier in the event overall, and between the eight combined World & Olympic appearances in the steeplechase, she has always advanced to the finals … Owns personal outdoor bests of 2.01.10 (800-meters), 4:03.82 (1,500-meters), 4:23.65 (mile), 8:48.60 (3,000-meters) and 9:02.35 (3,000-meter steeplechase); top indoor bests of 4:12.31 (1,500), 4:29.86 (mile), 8:39.19 (3,000) and 9:15.71 (two-mile) … Earned her bachelor’s degree from CU in Business (Marketing) in 2013 … She was born in Boulder on Oct. 19, 1990 … At Crested Butte Community High School, she was a multi-sport athlete (cross country, volleyball, basketball and track) … As a senior in high school, she finished second in the 2008 Nike Outdoor Nationals in the 2,000-meter steeplechase, an early sign of things to come … Married to CU alum and her coach, Joe Bosshard.