Later, on the red carpet leading into the Kodak Theatre, Corriero was spotted chatting up fellow nominee Olympic gold medalist Carly Patterson before heading inside for the show.

Nicole and Joseph had a full night of parties lined up for afterwards, promising an exciting conclusion to a fabulous day.

In the midst of the champagne and flashbulbs, however, Corriero’s athletic endeavors did not go completely overlooked.

“Obviously the other nominees are amazing athletes that accomplished so much this year,” Osterman said after winning.

“I think it’s a trend,” SportsCenter anchor Chris Berman said of Corriero’s recognition out of the Ancient Eight. “We have an Ivy Leaguer going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month.”

After her brief and indelible foray into the glamorous life of a sports luminary, Nicole returns to her summer job at a Toronto law firm and then moves on to law school in the fall. She plans on attending a joint program between the University of Windsor and University of Detroit.

Despite not winning the ESPY, Corriero said she was anything but disappointed in the wake of an unforgettable vacation.

“This is a little break for me, and then I’ll get back to the grind,” she said. “We’re really just enjoying the moment at this point.”

—Staff writer Jonathan Lehman can be reached at jlehman@fas.harvard.edu.