FARMINGTON, Utah (May 26, 2021) – After the dust settled on the most challenging of years, Northern Arizona Athletics emerged above the rest in sweeping the Big Sky Conference All-Sport Trophies for the sixth time in school history. It also marks the third time in the last four years (trophies were not awarded for 2019-20) that the Lumberjacks claimed both the Men's and Women's All-Sport Trophies.
"This year in particular, the Big Sky Conference All-Sports Trophy is a testament to the resilience and determination of our student-athletes," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics
Mike Marlow. "An unprecedented degree of teamwork, both within our Athletic Department and the campus community, was essential in achieving this recognition."
For NAU Athletics, the Lumberjacks' sixth sweep of the trophies is more than the rest of the conference combined having earned both trophies previously in 1996-97, 1999-2000, 2013-14, 2016-17 and 2017-18. Weber State and former conference member Boise State each swept the All-Sport Trophies on two occasions.
The All-Sport Trophy sweep would not have been possible without a complete departmental effort. In addition to winning five Big Sky titles during the 2020-21 year, the Lumberjacks saw 10 of 12 Big Sky sponsored teams place in the top four. A further breakdown shows that eight of 12 teams that competed in 2020-21 placed in the top two of their respective sports – a significant accomplishment given the challenges of competing during the pandemic.
"We are all especially pleased that NAU Athletics was able to deliver this accomplishment during President Cheng's final year at NAU," Marlow said. "Without her unwavering support in creating a safe environment for our student-athletes to compete, we would not have been able to FINISH what we started so many months ago."
The Lumberjack men, buoyed over the top by the outdoor track & field team's championship two weeks ago, claimed their Big Sky record 17th All-Sport Trophy and seventh consecutive overall going back to the 2013-14 year. No Big Sky school has won more than four straight men's trophies.
Meanwhile, NAU's women's programs moved into a tie with Weber State for most All-Sport Trophies with their ninth all-time. The Lumberjack women have now earned three of the last four trophies coinciding with the department's recent run of sweeping both since 2016-17.
The Lumberjacks dominated the Women's All-Sport Trophy standings, finishing with a year score of 9.286 – significantly ahead of Weber State's runner-up total of 7.375.
The women's cross country team got the year rolling, albeit in delayed fashion due to the fall sport postponement to the spring as a result of COVID-19, with their 22nd all-time Big Sky Championship. They proceeded to place 11th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships – a three-spot improvement from their 14th-place standing in 2019.
NAU would go on to claim two more Big Sky titles on the women's side with tennis winning their second consecutive conference tournament championship – and earning the league's auto bid to the NCAA Tournament – and outdoor track & field posting the third highest point total in league history to hoist the trophy for the 12th time.
NAU soccer placed first in the Big Sky Southeast Division, and was second amongst all teams in the regular season, while the golf team also placed second. Soccer's 5-1-1 conference record (.786) was the program's best since going 6-0-1 (.929) in 2010. The golf program earned their best conference finish since winning the title in 2015.
The volleyball team also placed fourth and reached the conference semifinals for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
Similarly, on the men's side, the 'Jacks finished strong winning the conference's final two championships. The men's tennis team, like their women's counterparts, successfully defended their Big Sky Championship – and went undefeated in regular season play to earn the first seed in the South Division – en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Following suit, the men's outdoor track & field team put a stamp on the year with their 23rd all-time conference title. Heading into the meet, NAU found itself second in the Men's All-Sport Trophy standings by more than a point behind Southern Utah, but the outdoor track & field championship – coupled with the Thunderbirds' seventh-place finish – elevated the Lumberjack men to the top with a final year score of 8.9.
While the men's cross country team were the conference runner-up this spring, they did capture their fourth Division I National Championship in the last five seasons in commanding fashion. Their team total of 60 points was the lowest champion score since 2005 and the Lumberjacks became the first men's team to place four runners in the top 10 at the NCAA Championship since 2003.
On the gridiron, NAU football tied for third in the Big Sky standings with a 3-2 record during the abbreviated spring season.
The All-Sports Trophies recognize the top performing school in the Big Sky based on their performance in the league sports they sponsor. Points are awarded only in conference-sponsored sports. Points are awarded on the basis of regular season standings in basketball, soccer, football, tennis, softball and volleyball and on the basis of conference tournament/championship results in all other sports.
Institutional scores are calculated by dividing total points by the number of Big Sky sponsored sports the institution sponsors. Adjustments were made for the 2020-21 standings to reflect sports that were played in divisions and football teams that did not compete.
Final 2020-21 Big Sky Conference Men's All-Trophy Standings:
1. Northern Arizona – 8.9
2. Southern Utah – 8.4
3. Weber State – 8.083
4. Montana State – 7.125
5. Eastern Washington – 6.4
6. Idaho State – 6.2
7. Montana – 5.75
8. Idaho – 5.417
9. Portland State – 4.875
10. Sacramento State – 3.7
11. Northern Colorado – 2.375
Final 2020-21 Big Sky Conference Women's All-Trophy Standings:
1. Northern Arizona – 9.286
2. Weber State – 7.375
3. Idaho – 7.0
4. Montana State – 6.583
5. Southern Utah – 6.0
6. Northern Colorado – 5.643
7. Montana – 4.563
8. Eastern Washington – 4.429
T9. Idaho State – 4.375
T9. Sacramento State – 4.375
11. Portland State – 4.313
