Castle Rock native Christian McCaffrey won Best Comeback Athlete, and Centennial’s Lauren Betts took home Best College Athlete in Women’s Sports — giving Colorado a pair of winners at ESPN’s annual celebration of the year’s best in sports.
McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers’ star running back, earned the honor after battling back from bilateral Achilles tendinitis that limited him to just a handful of games in 2024. The Valor Christian High School product returned to a full workload in 2025, logging a career-high 413 touches and appearing in every game for the Niners. The son of former Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, CMC was born in Castle Rock and starred at Valor in Highlands Ranch before heading to Stanford.
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Betts, a 6-foot-7 center who grew up in Centennial and dominated at Grandview High School in Aurora, won the ESPY after leading UCLA to its first-ever national championship last spring. She was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.8 blocks across six tournament games, and dropped a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double in the Bruins’ 79-51 title-game rout of South Carolina on April 5. The Washington Mystics made her the No. 4 overall pick in the WNBA Draft a few days later.
Betts used her acceptance speech to advocate for mental health awareness. The Washington Mystics’ official account celebrated on social media, posting: “She’s got an ESPY!”
Lauren Betts receives her ESPY award for Best Collegiate Athlete 👏 pic.twitter.com/DGGHp7OLVB
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) July 16, 2026
It’s always good to see Colorado succeed, even if it’s just an award show.