2023 Golden Eagle Award Recipients
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (April 5, 2023) – Student-athletes, head coaches, and staff gathered on Tuesday evening to celebrate the Northern Arizona University Athletic Department's academic success. The 45
th annual Golden Eagle Awards, presented by Ginny L. Clements, were highlighted by football's
Coleman Owen and swimming and diving's
Emily Luberto as they earned the evening's top honors as the department's top scholar-athletes. A total of 215 student-athletes across all 15 sports were honored.
The Golden Eagle Awards was first presented in the spring of 1979 as a way of honoring student-athletes who maintained high levels of scholastic achievement while performing with distinction in the university's athletic programs. All Lumberjacks holding a minimum of 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.
Luberto hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and through the Fall of 2022, she boasts a GPA of 3.96 while majoring in environmental sciences. Owen, a Gilbert, Ariz., native is majoring in finance and has a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA through the Fall of 2022.
Luberto has been a leader from day one in her four years with NAU's swimming and diving programs, making the Western Athletic Conference's All-Academic list every year along with being a Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete. She has been a part of NAU's CSCAA Scholar All-America team for the past four seasons.
On the boards, Luberto has been a part of NAU's 10-straight WAC championships, contributing every season. In 2021, she earned a gold medal on the platform event with a score of 222.95.
Owen is now a four-time Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete and a three-time Big Sky All-Academic team selection. He has been named All-Big Sky Honorable Mention (2021), Third-Team Freshman All-American from Phil Steele (2021) and All-Big Sky Third-Team (2022). In November, he was one of 30 students at NAU to receive the prestigious Golden Axe Award.
As a freshman in 2021, Owen ranked among the top-ten of the Big Sky in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and yards per catch. In 2022, Owen once again ranked among the conference's Top 10 in receptions and receiving yards. Finishing with 196 receiving yards against Montana State this past fall, Owen moved into ninth all-time for single game receiving yards. He finished the 2022 season ranked 19th in career receiving yards (1,637) through 29 career games while sitting 13 receptions and four touchdowns away from tying for 10th all-time in both categories.
