Feb. 4, 2010

You know you have done something remarkable when you win an award named in your honor.

Colgate senior soccer player Kiki Koroshetz became the first winner of the Kiki Koroshetz Courage Award in December. The award was established after Koroshetz was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that attacks soft tissue and muscles in the body. Koroshetz was an obvious choice for the award after beating the disease and returning to the field for Colgate’s run to the Patriot League Championship.

Koroshetz came to Colgate from Norwalk, Conn., where she was a four-year standout for Brien McMahon High School. Her tenacity was evident to Colgate head coach Kathy Brawn the first time she saw her.

“There was absolutely no quit in Kiki,” Brawn said. “She was obviously a good athlete, but athleticism doesn’t always translate to the pitch. I knew she would succeed because she had a fire and a drive that few people have.”

The fire and drive that Brawn saw in Koroshetz helped the young defender earn her way on the field immediately.

“Not only was she going out onto the field and performing at a high level, she was leading our back line by the end of her freshman season,” Brawn said. “She knew where everyone needed to be and made sure they were there.”

That same resolve that Koroshetz showed on the field would eventually become a necessity off of it. After playing her entire career without injury, the normally fit Koroshetz began to experience extreme exhaustion while training for her junior season in the summer of 2008. After a month of no improvement, Koroshetz eventually learned the root of the problem—Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

Koroshetz not only pushed forward, she inspired her teammates with her will and perseverance. Koroshetz
established a goal to return for the 2009 season, despite learning that Ewing Sarcoma often involves a lengthy fight.

Koroshetz began the fight, taking on hours of painful and exhausting treatment, while also maintaining her physical fitness and a full course load. The fight continued until a fateful day in late summer of 2009 when she learned she had beaten the disease.

“I don’t know how many people she called before me, but I just had a feeling when I heard her voice on the other line, that was what she was going to tell me,” Brawn said. “She tried to mask it and surprise me, but there are some things you just can’t hide.”

Koroshetz returned to the field and played 13 games, helping Colgate win its 11th Patriot League Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

While Koroshetz played a pivotal role on the Raiders’ back line, her return to the team had already provided the Raiders with a healthy dose of motivation.

“Our kids were motivated last year when she showed up on the sidelines,” Brawn said. “You can’t put into words the excitement they had when she could finally put her uniform back on and play when them again. She has obviously done a lot for this program on the field, but what she has done off of it is very difficult to quantify. She is
truly amazing.”

Amazing indeed. But they don’t name awards after just anybody.