MORGANTOWN — Being on the other side of the country couldn’t stop Irene Riggs from earning another in-state award, as she was named the McCoy Female Track Athlete of the Year Award winner for girls’ track and field for the third-consecutive year.
She is the first female ever to win the award three years in a row.
Riggs, who is currently a freshman at Stanford University in California, helped lead the MHS girls’ track team to a co-state championship in 2023 by earning three of their five individual state titles at the state meet last May. She took first overall in the 800, 1600, and 3200-meter races in her final performances as a Mohigan before taking her talents to Stanford.
“This is so exciting — it’s always an honorable and surreal feeling anytime you are recognized for the work you’ve put in and for the support you’ve received from the community,” Riggs said upon receiving the news. “Even though I am far away from West Virginia, I still consider it my home. Without the support of family, friends, and mentors, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Riggs will go down as one of the most successful athletes in MHS history, having captured multiple state titles in both track and cross-country, including a national championship for XC in 2022. She also went on to represent the United States in the under-20 World Championship in Bathurst, Australia, where she finished 12th overall.
Now a member of the Cardinal for both cross-country and track, Riggs said being on campus has been a crucial part of her development as a student-athlete.
“Injury is a part of sports and I struggled with one upon arrival in the fall,” she said. “But being at Stanford, where there is such an academic emphasis, has been beneficial for me. I’ve learned the importance of patience. It’s okay if things don’t go how you imagined — it’s how you respond and handle the adversity before working to come back stronger. It’s about putting the work in day in and day out, knowing that the results that you want will come from it.”
Despite being so far away from her home, Riggs said she still has high hopes for the future of running in West Virginia and won’t ever forget where she came from.
“I hope to see the running scene in West Virginia continue to grow and appear on the map, as there are so many talented athletes,” she said. “Of course, as a former Morgantown High athlete, I hope to continue to watch their success on both the track and cross-country course.”
Riggs will be recognized for her award at the 77th-annual Victory Awards Dinner on May 5th at River City in Wheeling.
Runners-up for the award were Alyssa Sauro of Williamstown and Rachel Withrow of Winfield.
TWEET @DomPostWV
