By Navysports.com, For the Auburn Reporter

Kate Herren, a 2012 U.S. Naval Academy graduate who starred at Auburn Mountainview High School, recently received the 2019 Marine Corps Female Athlete of the Year award by the Commandant of the Marine Corps at the organization’s Combined Awards Ceremony on Jan. 22 at the Marine Corps Base Quantico near Triangle, Va.

Herren excelled at soccer and lacrosse during her time at the academy in Annapolis, Md.

Herren played defense for the Mids’ soccer team for four seasons (2008-11). She appeared in 82 career games, tallying three goals and 13 assists. Her career culminated in 2011 as team captain, earning All-Patriot League First-Team and All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third-Team playing honors.

Following her senior season with the soccer team, she joined the lacrosse program for the spring 2012 campaign. Herren contributed to Navy going 18-3, capturing its third straight Patriot League title and advancing to take on North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Herren appeared in five games as a defender for the Mids that season.

Capt. Herren is attached to the 12th Marine Corps District, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, in San Diego. In 2019, she served as team captain of the silver medal-winning All-Marine Women’s Rugby Team. She was also selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Herren trained with the U.S. Women’s Olympic Rugby Team for the last year and a half at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., still part of the Marine Corps. At 30, Herren competed for a spot on the final Olympic team to represent USA for the Tokyo Summer Games but was released.

At Auburn Mountainview, Herren was a three-sport standout who lettered in soccer (four years), basketball (three years) and softball (four years).

She is the daughter of Dee and Terri Herren, the principal at Auburn Mountainview.