FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (May 2, 2024) – A group of decorated former Northern Arizona University student-athletes will be enshrined and recognized for their accomplishments this August when they officially become part of the Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame.
NAU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Marlow, has announced the 2024 Hall of Fame Class which is comprised of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 men's cross country National Championship teams, women's golfer and three-time Big Sky Conference Champion Sophia Choi, volleyball player and AVCA All-American Janae Vander Ploeg (McDonnell) and football player, a two-time All-Big Sky honoree, David Heasman.
The newest class will officially be inducted during the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, Aug. 30, in Flagstaff, Ariz., with details to come. The group will also be recognized during NAU football's home opener versus Lincoln University on Aug. 31 at Findlay Toyota Field inside the Walkup Skydome. NAU cross country will also host its annual George Kyte Invitational that weekend.
The Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame, established in 1981, pays tribute and gives lasting recognition to those student-athletes, coaches, staff and teams who have made exceptional contributions and brought recognition, honor and distinction to NAU Athletics.
This year's class was voted on by the NAU Athletics' Hall of Fame committee consisting of eight Lumberjack Hall of Famers amongst a group of 13 total members.
Former student-athletes, coaches and staff are eligible for nomination five (5) years after their careers at Northern Arizona University have concluded. Student-athletes must have competed for a minimum of two (2) years at NAU. A team may be nominated for induction based on extraordinary accomplishment (i.e. NCAA Championship, Regional or Conference Championship).
National Championship teams are automatic selections for the Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame. The time of induction will be determined by the committee and Athletic Director.
More about the 2024 Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame class can be found below.
2024 Lumberjack Athletic Hall of Fame Class
Sophia Choi – Women's Golf – 2004-08
Sophia Choi was a three-time Big Sky Conference Golfer of the Year, earning the award in each of her final three seasons as a Lumberjack in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Choi was the first women's golfer in conference history to earn three Golfer of the Year awards and is still one of only two golfers to own the distinction.
Choi was voted the Big Sky Freshman of the Year in 2005, giving her four individual accolades in four seasons as a Lumberjack. As a true freshman, Choi won the individual Big Sky Championships after shooting a 219 (+3). At the time, that was the third-lowest tournament total in championship history, winning by five strokes.
"Thank you for this honor. This was an unexpected surprise to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," said Choi on her induction. "I am honored and blessed to receive this induction. This could not have been possible without the support of my teammates, coach, and NAU athletic department. To my fellow and upcoming athletes, Go Jacks!"
Choi would go on to post three top-10 finishes at the conference championships in her career, guiding the Lumberjacks to three straight runner-up finishes. She was an eight-time Big Sky Golfer of the Week, the most by a Lumberjack at the conclusion of her career. A four-time All-Big Sky first team selection, she was named to the Big Sky All-Tournament team in 2008 as a senior.
When Choi's career concluded, she held school records for scoring average (76.15), par or better rounds (12), birdies (185), and eagles (3). She remains in the top-10 in all categories and her four tournament victories are one off the school record.
In the classroom, Choi was a three-time Big Sky All-Academic selection.
David Heasman – Football – 1993-98
David Heasman anchored NAU's offensive line from 1994 to 1998, helping Northern Arizona reach the Division I FCS Playoffs for the first time in program history in 1996. A four-year starter and letterwinner, Heasman earned All-Big Sky recognition in both 1996 and 1997 as a guard.
"Being inducted into the NAU Athletics Hall of Fame is an absolute honor for me. NAU provided me with an amazing opportunity to grow and develop as an athlete, individual and student. I was privileged to have a great professional career on the field as well as off the field, which is a testament to my time at NAU," said Heasman. "Flagstaff and NAU hold a special place in my heart, and I couldn't be prouder to be inducted next to fellow teammates and many other Lumberjack greats who have been a part of the Hall of Fame journey."
During his time as a Lumberjack, Heasman blocked and protected a pair of quarterbacks in Jeff Lewis and Travis Brown. He was instrumental in guiding running back Archie Amerson to win the 1996 Walter Payton Award. With Heasman at guard, Amerson became NAU's all-time leading rusher with 3,196 career rushing yards in just two seasons. Amerson still owns the Division I FCS record for single-game rushing touchdowns (7), single-game total touchdowns (7), points scored in a game (42), single-season rushing touchdowns (25) and single-season all-purpose yards (2,249).
Heasman originally hails from Canada and was a standout in the classroom as well. He was named to the Athletic Director Honor Role in 1996, 1997 and 1998. After being drafted as a junior to the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL), he still graduated on time from NAU's College of Business with a degree in marketing management. At graduation, he was selected to be the Standard Bearer for the College of Business graduation ceremony.
Heasman's success continued after his time as a Lumberjack concluded, as he played for three different CFL teams from 1998 to 2004. He played in 117 regular season games and eight playoff games, including four Western Division Finals. In 2001, he won a Grey Cup championship with the Calgary Stampeders and made a return to the Grey Cup in 2004 with the Lions.
Janae Vander Ploeg (McDonnell) – Volleyball – 2012-15
Janae Vander Ploeg (McDonnell) put together one of the greatest senior seasons by a Lumberjack student-athlete across any sport. In 2015, she became the first AVCA All-American in program history and just the second in Big Sky Conference history. She was also the first AVCA All-Region first team selection in Northern Arizona history.
McDonnell was the driving force of NAU's first Big Sky Championship squad in 16 years during the 2015 season. The 2015 squad finished 28-5 (15-1 Big Sky) and was inducted into NAU's Hall of Fame in 2022. That year, McDonnell became the first Lumberjack in 15 years to be voted the Big Sky Regular Season MVP and was also selected to the first team for the third time in her career. McDonnell was the first Lumberjack to be honored three times on the first team and the second to receive four all-conference honors. She would go on to win Big Sky Tournament MVP honors after leading NAU to its first NCAA Tournament since 1999.
"Being inducted into the NAU Hall of Fame fills me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. It's a profound acknowledgment of the support and encouragement I've received throughout my athletic career from coaches, teammates, family, and friends," said McDonnell. "This honor serves as a reminder of the countless individuals who have played a role in shaping my journey, and I am deeply thankful for their belief in me. My time at Northern Arizona will always hold a special place in my heart and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be a Lumberjack."
Individually, she broke NAU's single season kills record with 563 in 2015 on her way to setting the all-time career kills record with 1,626 which is seventh in conference history. When her time as a Lumberjack was done, she ranked first all-time in kills average (3.67), attacks (4,886), and sets played (443) while ranking fourth in career digs (1,228) and fifth in both aces (115) and double-doubles (47). She was the fifth player in program history to record both 1,000 career kills and digs.
To cap it off, McDonnell earned five career Big Sky Player of the Week awards, winning three consecutively in 2015 for the first time in conference history. In the classroom, she was a four-time Big Sky All-Academic honoree and Golden Eagle Scholar Athlete. In 2016, she was honored with the university's prestigious Gold Axe Award.
2016, 2017, 2018 Men's Cross Country NCAA National Championship Teams
The 2016, 2017, and 2018 men's cross country NCAA National Championship teams set the standard for Northern Arizona cross country as it's known today. The 2016 squad solidified national prominence for the program and started the current streak of six national titles in eight years.
Eric Heins, who was inducted into NAU's Hall of Fame in 2022, led Northern Arizona to its first national title. Current Director of Cross Country and Track and Field,
Michael Smith, led the Lumberjacks to the next two after taking over for Heins and assisting on the 2016 squad. Matthew Baxter, Tyler Day and Geordie Beamish were members of all three championship teams.
"We are thrilled to celebrate the 2016, 2017 and 2018 NCAA Championship cross country teams. These teams made history and broke NAU through the top of Division I cross country with each season being remarkable accomplishments made by remarkable athletes," said Smith. "We look forward to honoring these teams and reliving those amazing seasons together."
2016: The 2016 squad was coached by Eric Heins and was the first championship of its kind in any sport for the Lumberjacks, and the first NCAA Championship for a Big Sky Conference institution outside of football. The Lumberjacks had three athletes notch top-25 finishes and were the first non-Power 5 university to win an NCAA Cross Country Championship since 1981.
Northern Arizona claimed first place with 125 points, topping second-place Stanford by 33 points. Four Lumberjacks earned NCAA All-American status in Futsum Zienasellassie, Matthew Baxter, Tyler Day, and Andy Trouard. Zienasellassie would lead the way with a fourth-place finish, becoming the first ever Lumberjack cross country athlete to be crowned a four-time NCAA All-American.
The 2016 championship roster was comprised of Zienasellassie, Baxter, Day, Trouard, Cory Glines, Nathan Weitz and Geordie Beamish.
2017: The 2017 National Championship team repeated in dominating fashion, earning 74 points and winning by 53. The Lumberjacks placed five athletes in the top-40, led by Baxter with a second-place finish and Day coming in third.
Baxter, Day, Peter Lomong, Trouard and Beamish earned All-American honors as the Lumberjacks became the first program to win back-to-back titles since Colorado accomplished the feat in 2013 and 2014.
The 2017 championship roster included Baxter, Day, Lomong, Trouard, Beamish, Luis Grijalva and Cory Glines.
2018: The 2018 team became the first program to three-peat since the 1998-00 Arkansas squads. The Lumberjacks scored 83 points to take the title as a team, besting second-place BYU who scored 116 points. Northern Arizona pushed through snow and cold temperatures in Wisconsin and were led by Day who finished in sixth-place. Lomong, Blaise Ferro, Luis Grijalva, Beamish, Baxter and Day each earned All-American honors.
The 2018 championship squad was made up by Day, Baxter, Grijalva, Ferro, Lomong, Beamish and
Ryan Raff.
