FULL LIST OF 2019-20 HONOREES
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (April 8, 2020) – On what would have been the day of the 42nd annual Golden Eagle Awards presented by Ginny L. Clements, the NAU Athletics Department recognizes 197 Lumberjacks as Scholar-Athlete recipients. Men's basketball's Brooks DeBisschop and volleyball's Abby Stomp are the top Male and Female Scholar-Athletes.
The 197 Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete award recipients mark the department's highest total since the 2013-14 academic year. The 42nd annual Golden Eagle Awards Dinner was scheduled to be held Wednesday night at the High Country Conference Center prior to being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Golden Eagle Awards was first presented in the spring of 1979 and this year's 197 recipients brings the total to nearly 4,000 awards over the last 42 years. All Lumberjacks holding a 3.00 cumulative grade point average or better are eligible for the award, presented to student-athletes who have made significant contributions in athletics as well as in the classroom.
Both DeBisschop and Stomp were voted Academic All-Americans in their respective sports during the 2019-20 academic year.
DeBisschop became the first Academic First Team All-American in NAU men's basketball program history this spring and just the 12th NAU student-athlete in any sport to be named to the Academic All-America First Team. Last year, he was an Academic All-America Third Team honoree and he is the 10th NAU student-athlete with multiple Academic All-American honors.
DeBisschop, out of West Linn, Ore., holds a 3.97 cumulative grade point average in finance and will graduate in May. The four-time Big Sky All-Academic selection and Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete award recipient earned his first career all-conference honor on the hardwood in his final season. DeBisschop, who finished his career sixth all-time in rebounding, earned an All-Big Sky Third Team nod after averaging career-highs of 12.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
"It's an incredible honor to receive the award," DeBisschop said. "Having attended the Golden Eagle Awards the past three years, I've seen the top male and female scholar and I've strived to be that one day. Big thanks to my coaches, teammates, professors and Katie (Wardsworth) in academics. I can't thank everyone enough for the support they've given me in order to achieve this award."
Stomp graduated in December with her degree in biology following her four-year career with the Lumberjack volleyball team. In the fall, Stomp not only became just the second NAU volleyball player to earn Academic All-America honors with her selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team, but she also was a recipient of the prestigious Gold Axe Award presented to a select group of NAU graduating seniors.
Stomp finished her undergraduate studies with a perfect 4.00 grade point average while also capping her playing career seventh in program history in assists and ninth in assists per set. The Albuquerque, N.M. native was a three-time Big Sky All-Academic selection and earned her fourth Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete award. As a senior, she averaged a team-best 6.01 assists per set and added 1.41 digs per set.
"I'm really honored and thankful for all of the awards and acknowledgement I've received," Stomp said. "Receiving this award is the icing on the cake. I'm very thankful for the scholarship to play volleyball and my coaches for providing me with that opportunity. Of course I'm also thankful for my teachers, my family and my teammates for all of their support throughout the way."
A full list of the 2019-20 Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete award recipients is available
here.
