No Barrier Is Too Great: Hannah Briggs' Collegiate Success On And Off The Track Lands Her In The RMAC HOF
This is the third profile of six individuals being inducted into the 2018 RMAC Hall of Fame on Friday, July 13 at the Colorado Springs Marriott Hotel. The 1997 and 1998 Regis Volleyball Teams will also be inducted. To read the other two profiles on Olin Hatfield Chilson and Dick Drangmeister, click here.
As little girl growing up in Evergreen, Colorado, Hannah Briggs, formerly known as Davey, tried her hand at numerous sports, but her determination to run earned her a national championship title.
Hannah found success in a lot with different things during her upbringing, but athletically she found the most success with running.
“The reason I think, was that she was so determined,” stated Hannah’s father, Bruce Davey. “The heart of Hannah is unbelievable…she could do any sport.”
Entering high school, Hannah’s father could tell that this was only the beginning of her passion and drive to excel in track and field and cross country.
“I could sense she was starting to want to excel…there was a little bit of bristling in her [and] she really wanted to win,” said Bruce.
As time went on, Hannah became known for her power and drive on the cross country course.
“Hannah owned the hills, you would see her at the bottom of the hill back at number three or four and by the time she would get to the top she would be number one,” said Bruce. “[It was all] heart, she just had more heart than most did.”
When it came time for college, Hannah was recruited to join the Orediggers’ track and field and cross country teams at Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in Golden, Colorado. Being a student at Colorado School of Mines was a feat in and of itself but being a student-athlete was an entirely different beast.
“She was doing three sports, [cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field], working at Starbucks, and carrying a full [academic] load at Mines,” explained Bruce. “To me that was incredible. I never had to work that hard when I was going through academics and I was a Naval Academy graduate. I didn’t have to do outside work as well, but Hannah was married by her second year at Mines and was maintaining a household and doing the whole deal.”
Ryan Briggs, Hannah’s husband, has been a huge supporter of Hannah’s journey, staying with her at every stride.
“Seeing her start a running career at Mines, [for everyone] academically it can be overwhelming,” stated Ryan. “There were certainly some doubts at first where she was thinking, ‘Can I juggle all of this?’ but by the end of her sophomore year at Mines she was really hitting her stride with running as well as academics and everything else.”
In 2004, Hannah was able to accomplish what few student-athletes are capable of, she became a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II (DII) National Champion in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:33.72.
“She didn’t go into that race necessarily expecting to win,” Ryan recounted. “It was a great race because she was sort of hanging back; she wasn’t in the lead for most of the race… I could just see her out there realizing, ‘I could take this thing’. [Hannah] did what she always does, she gets towards the end of the race and she puts more heart in there than you can imagine, and she just passed the other competitors in the last lap and took the race. It was the most exciting thing I have [ever] seen her do in her running career. It was amazing.”
For most people, if you told them they would have to hurdle 28 barriers, clear seven water pits and run 3,000-meters in wet shoes, they would pass on the challenge. For Hannah, she embraced the physical and mental encounter, making her one of CSM’s most resilient student-athletes.
“Her times running the 3,000-meter steeplechase with these barriers and the water jumping were faster than her times running the 3,000-meter race by itself,” said Ryan. “I think it just says something about her, that you put these obstacles in front of her and she pushes harder and does better…that is just how she is in life in general.”
During the 2006 indoor track and field season, Hannah ran the second leg of the distance medley relay (DMR) team that finished second and broke a program record (11:39.02) at the NCAA DII Indoor Track and Field National Championships.
Hannah found success in all three of her events, the DMR, 3,000m steeplechase and the 1,500m run. Aside from her national title and national runners-up performance, Hannah’s accolades on the track include All-RMAC recognition in cross country (2004, 2005), Second Team Indoor TF All-RMAC (2006) and First Team Outdoor TF All-RMAC (2005, 2006). She was the 2005 RMAC 3000m Steeplechase Champion, a three-time All-American, and a four-time letter winner.
Briggs also excelled academically. She was a seven-time RMAC All-Academic selection and was named Colorado School of Mines’ Female RMAC Student-Athlete during the 2005-06 academic year. As a senior she received U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic recognition.
Post collegiate career, Hannah moved to southern California to start a family with Ryan and brought her passion for running with her.
“Since we’ve left college she has continued running 40 to 50 miles per week,” said Ryan “…She has completed in a few trail races and has won at least four trail races since we left college. I think she just loves getting out there and challenging herself, pushing as hard as she can, and Hannah being Hannah, the result is that she often does really well.”
In 2010, she was inducted in to the Colorado School of Mines Hall of Fame and to this date she is the Orediggers’ only female individual national champion in cross country and track and field.
Hannah is the epitome of a champion, not only because she can successfully jump over steeple barriers, clear water pits, sprint up hills, and has a trophy to prove it, but because she has the heart of one.
Those who know her say she’s dedicated, passionate, loving, strong-willed and tough to name a few. In the words of her father, “[She] is exceptional in every way. Anything she puts her mind to she can accomplish…It’s stunning that [she] can be this talented and this humble.”
Hannah will be honored at the 2018 RMAC Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet at the Colorado Springs Marriott Hotel on Friday, July 13. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit the
RMAC Hall of Fame page.