Each year, two athletes are chosen as the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF’s) Athletes of the Year to support veterans in work outside their service, foster camaraderie and promote health and wellness. One male and one female athlete are chosen and honored for the previous year. This year, the 2023 Athlete of the Year award was bestowed upon Space Systems Command handball player Capt. Andrew Donlin and Air Mobility Command triathlete 1st Lt. Rose Smith.
“It was extremely difficult choosing our DAF-level winners,” Maj. Tiffany Lewis, DAF Fitness and Sports Division chief at the Air Force Services Center, said in a news release. “But I’m confident we got it right with Capt. Donlin and Lt. Smith. Although all of the packages we received were incredibly strong, their accomplishments represented the athletic community and DAF in a way few others can.”
Capt. Andrew Donlin
Donlin has always had two passions: the Air Force and sports. After attending the United States Air Force Academy and receiving his assignment with the Space and Missile Systems Center, Donlin was simultaneously rising in the ranks of professional handball. Though he’s been playing at a high level since his early college days, 2023 proved to be Donlin’s most successful year yet.
During the award period, Donlin led the Men’s USA National Handball Team to their first and second wins in the International Handball Federation Men’s World Championships. He also led his club team, the Cal Heat, to a gold medal in the California Cup and was selected as the tournament’s most valuable player.
Additionally, the captain led Team USA in the Pan American Games Qualifier in Colorado Springs, Colorado, helping the team earn a spot in the 2023 Pan American Games, a primary qualifying competition for the Summer Olympics. He was also the leading scorer in both the qualifier and games, with a total of 21 goals.
With eight goals, Donlin continued as the primary scorer at the National Championship game, leading his Cal Heat team to first place out of 20 teams at the 2023 USA Handball National Championship. Because of the win, his team represented the U.S. at the North American and Caribbean Club Championships, where they earned gold, and he was selected for the All-Tournament Team.
Not only was Donlin honored as the 2023 Male Athlete of the Year, but he earned a spot as one of the two male athletes to be recognized in the International Handball Federation’s Beach Handball Showcase at the Paris Olympic Games.
“I’m thankful for everyone who has supported me,” Donlin stated of his success, “and feel extremely blessed to get to wear the two best uniforms in the world and represent our great country and what it stands for on and off the court.”
1st Lt. Rose Smith
Smith, who joined the Air Force Reserve in 2015 as an enlisted Airman, said she always wanted to be an officer. After learning about health care administration officers, she started her bachelor’s degree program. Smith began triathlon training two years before her first race in 2021. But when she joined the service, she found another passion: triathlete racing.
2023 proved to be a year of many successes for Smith, who frequently competes in some of the most prestigious triathlete competitions. She finished first in her age group and 93rd overall at the Rock Hall Triathlon in Maryland, earning her a spot in the 2023/2024 USA Triathlon National Championships. Over the summer, she was rated 165th among 4,532 female triathletes. She earned Bronze All-World Athlete status in her age group after finishing 35 out of 56 in the Ironman 70.3 Musselman. She became a qualifier a few months later for the 2024 Ironman World Championships.
She rounded out the award period with October’s Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., where she finished 5,348 in a field of more than 230,000. Her success led Smith to have the pick of the litter, receiving five different triathlon club offers after her performance at the Waterman’s Triathlon Festival Relay. She ultimately decided to join Team Zoot, the largest triathlon organization in the United States.
“Waiting for what you want is worth it, but also don’t wait for one dream to finish to start a new one,” Rose said in a Space Force news release. “I wouldn’t be where I am without the encouragement from many people in my life, but I also remember there were times [when] people doubted my path because their perception of what was possible was limited. The human body is capable of so many incredible things if given the opportunity.”
Read more articles for the veteran community here.
