Aptos native Nikki Hiltz, the first openly nonbinary runner to win a USA Track and Field championship title, will be honored at the 2024 Athlete Ally Action Awards in New York City on Oct. 17 at 3 p.m.

Athlete Ally is a nonprofit organization focused on fostering inclusive athletic environments and mobilizing the athletic community to champion LGBTQI+ equality.

“The global athletic community changes for the better when pioneers like Nikki Hiltz pave the way forward by being proudly and authentically who they are,” said Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally. “Nikki is a true champion for inclusion on and off the track, and we’re thrilled to honor them at the Action Awards.”

Hiltz, a six-time national champion who will represent the U.S. in the 1,500-meter race at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, is a vocal advocate for equal rights, particularly passionate about making the sport of running more inclusive and fundraising for services that support the young LGBTQIA+ community.

“My mom wasn’t allowed to play sports in high school because title IX hadn’t gone into effect yet,” said Hiltz, in a release from the organization. “When she told me this when I was a kid I almost didn’t believe her. I could not imagine a world without women playing sports. My hope is that one day my kids are in the same state of shock and disbelief as I was when I tell them there was once a time when trans people weren’t allowed to participate in sports.

“My goal is a world in which trans people are welcomed and celebrated throughout sport and I believe wholeheartedly that we can get there and it is because of organizations like Athlete Ally who are fighting for trans inclusion every single day.”

In 2020, Hiltz founded the Pride 5K, a race which supports LGBTQIA+ nonprofits. Hiltz’s annual event has raised over $162,000 and they are currently planning the fifth iteration of the event in 2024.

Golf

U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying >> Boulder Creek golfer Jennifer Serbin advanced from U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos on Thursday.

Serbin, formerly Brumbaugh, a former standout at Scotts Valley High and San Jose State University, shot 3-under-par 67.

The low four individual scorers advanced to the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on Aug. 5-11.

Also qualifying from the Los Gatos qualifier were Japan’s Momo Kamiya (66), San Jose’s Natalie Vo (68) and Fremont’s Michelle Woo (68).

NCGA Amateur Qualifying >> Santa Cruz’s Brant Schenk and Scotts Valley’s AJ Collishaw advanced from NCGA Amateur Qualifying at Coyote Creek GC in San Jose on Wednesday.

Schenk carded birdies on two of the final three holes and finished with a 1-under-par 71 on the Valley Course. Collishaw shot 2-over 74.

Aptos’ Sean Etow, Santa Cruz’s Neil Ostermann, Watsonville’s Chance Pengelly and Capitola’s Van Smith missed the cut at qualifying at Del Monte G.C. in Monterey on Thursday.

Etow was even through nine holes but finished with a 6-over 78 total. Ostermann shot 79 and Pengelly shot 80, including 7 over on the back nine. Smith shot 84.

The 121st NCGA Amateur Championship takes place at Spyglass Hill G.C. in Pebble Beach from Aug. 12-16.

The NCGA Amateur Championship became an official USGA Exemption Event this year. The champion will earn an automatic exemption into the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.