PHOTO GALLERY
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (April 30, 2019) – The Northern Arizona Athletics Department and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee took the Sixth Annual Louie's Awards to downtown Flagstaff for the first time with student-athletes, staff and coaches celebrating the 2018-19 year at the Orpheum Theater.
With the new location off campus, another first was implemented in regards to the voting. After the coaches' nominations for the awards with input from a select group of staff and administrators, all NAU Athletics staff and SAAC representatives had a vote in determining this year's Louie's winners.
For men's and women's tennis, golf and men's and women's outdoor track & field, the awards consideration was for the spring 2018 season. All other sports were considered from the fall 2018 and winter 2019 seasons.
A total of 16 awards were handed out with men's cross country/track & field's Geordie Beamish and volleyball's Kaylie Jorgenson receiving the Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards respectively. Beamish earned All-American honors in cross country and indoor track & field, while becoming the fourth men's individual indoor national champion in program history with his NCAA title in the mile. Beamish's national championship in the mile also earned him Record Breaking Performance of the Year.
Jorgenson became only the second All-American in volleyball's history and was named the Big Sky's Co-Most Valuable Player while leading the team to the 2018 Big Sky Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Matt Baxter of cross country/track & field repeated as the Male Lumberjack recipient, while Maggie Carruth – also of cross country/track & field – was the Female Lumberjack awardee. The Lumberjack is given to the male and female student-athlete who excels not only in competition, but in the community and classroom.
The three-time defending National Champion men's cross country team was voted the Male Team of the Year. Meanwhile, the volleyball team earned the Female Team of the Year after sweeping the Big Sky regular season and tournament titles for the second time in four years.
Distance runners Luis Grijalva and Jesselyn Bries were the Male and Female Newcomers of the Year. The women's basketball team collected two awards, first the Sharp Axe with the department's highest GPA and also being recognized for donating the most shoes during SAAC's Soles4Souls campaign.
For a full list of the 2019 Louie's award recipients, see the list below.
Male Newcomer of the Year: Luis Grijalva, Outdoor Track & Field
Female Newcomer of the Year: Jesselyn Bries, Cross Country
Male Athlete of the Year: Geordie Beamish, Cross Country/Track & Field
Female Athlete of the Year: Kaylie Jorgenson, Volleyball
Soles4Souls: Women's Basketball
Jack That Gives Back: Kaitlyn Wayne, Track & Field
Guiding Axe Award: Melissa Pokorny, Lifeskills Coordinator
Coach of the Year: Mike Smith, Director of Cross Country and Track & Field
True Blue Award: Joey Gatewood, Football
Inspiration Award: Omar N'diaye, Men's Basketball
Sharp Axe Award: Women's Basketball
Record Breaking Performance: Geordie Beamish, Indoor Track & Field
The Lumberjack: Matt Baxter, Cross Country/Track & Field; Maggie Carruth, Cross Country/Track & Field
Male Team of the Year: Men's Cross Country
Female Team of the Year: Volleyball
