Cathy Branta

Class
Induction

1981-85
Honors

Women's Cross Country (1981), Women's Cross Country (1982), Women's Cross Country (1983), Women's Cross Country (1984), Women's Track & Field (1982), Women's Track & Field (1983), Women's Track & Field (1984), Women's Track & Field (1985)

A five-time national champion (twice in the 3,000 meters outdoors and once each in cross country, the 3,000 meters indoors and the 1,500 meters outdoors)
The Badgers won the NCAA cross country team title the year Branta took the individual championship (1984)
Set NCAA Meet records in the 3,000-meter run indoors (9:04.81) and outdoors (8:59.57)
An 11-time All-American and eight-time Big Ten champ
Alternate in the 3,000-meter run on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team
Won the 3,000-meter run at the 1985 World University Games and the Olympic Sports Festival
Second-place finish in the 1984 World Cross Country Championships helped the U.S. to the team title
Earned the 1985 Big Ten Medal of Honor for proficiency in scholarship and athletics
Three-time (1983-85) UW Women's Athlete of the Year
Academic All-Big Ten honors twice in her career
Big Ten Women's Athlete of the Year as a senior in 1985
Recipient of the 1985 Broderick Award in cross country
Won the 1984-85 Honda Sports Award, given to the top women college athlete in 11 different sports
Named to the Big Ten's All-Decade Team in the conjunction with the 10-year anniversary of women's athletics in the conference