Rio Rico’s Allie Schadler named Female Athlete of Year

Allie Schadler walked up the steps at ASU Gammage Sunday to accept her award as the Female Athlete of the Year at the azcentral.com Sport Awards.

It was the hundreds of thousands of steps Schadler had taken over the previous four years that got her to that point, though. The senior from Rio Rico won her fourth cross country state championship in the fall and then finished second in the Nike Cross Southwest Regionals and seventh at the Nike Cross Nationals.

MORE: 2017 azcentral.com Sports Awards

AZCSA: List of all azcentral.com Sports Awards winners

Amazingly, Schadler, who will continue her career at the University of Washington, only placed outside the top 10 twice in her four years at Rio Rico.

“I wasn’t expecting this award,” Schadler said. “I love having nights like these because it’s proof of all the hard work we put in.”

As the night ended and Schadler got one last picture with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, she shook her head and smiled as she thought about everything she’s accomplished at Rio Rico.

HOFFER: Chaparral swimmer wins Male Athlete of the Year

“This means a lot,” she said. “I’m going to miss high school and all the people I competed against.”

Asked if it’s hard to believe her high school career is nearly over, Schadler said, simply, “Yes, it is.”

But what a way to go out.