Colorado Springs, Colo. (Jan. 30, 2001) -- For the third time in her cycling career, Alison Dunlap has been named the U.S. Olympic Committee Female Athelte of the Month. Dunlap claimed the December award after winning her fourth-consecutive national cyclo-cross title Dec. 16, 2000, in Overland Park, Kansas. The following day she picked up her fourth title with a win at the SuperCup Series Finals the following day.

Dunlap ranks as the second-most winningest cyclo-cross champion, male or female, behind Laurence Malone (1975-79 champion). Dunlap previously won the Athlete of the Month award in June 1997 and December 1999.

This national title caps off an outstanding year for Dunlap, who competed at her second Olympic Games in Sydney. She finished second overall in the World Cup mountain bike series, and was ranked third in the world at the end of 2000 after spending part of the year at number one.

Alpine skier Erik Schlopy (Park City, Utah) grabbed the top spot for December's Male Athlete of the Month, and Luge duo Mark Grimmette (Muskegon, Mich.) and Brian Martin (Palo Alto, Calif.) prevailed as Team of the Month.