FARMINGTON, Utah (July 16, 2024) – Excelling in competition and the classroom during their decorated careers at Northern Arizona University, a pair of recent graduates in
Emily Rodabaugh and
Nico Young have been named NAU's Big Sky Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year, as announced this morning by the league office.
Rodabaugh was a member of the NAU women's basketball program while Young competed on the cross country and track and field teams. Both were honored as NAU's top Golden Eagle Scholar-Athletes in April.
A total of 22 student-athletes from the Big Sky's full-time members and football affiliates were honored. To be eligible for this award, the student-athlete must have exhausted his or her intercollegiate athletic eligibility and/or be a member of the graduating class, earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0) scale, been a participant in a Big Sky-sponsored sport, completed at least two (2) years of intercollegiate competition at the institution, and been a letter winner.
During her five-year stint on the women's basketball team, Rodabaugh earned two undergraduate degrees during her time at NAU. The Lynnwood, Wash., native boasted a perfect 4.0 while working towards her Master's in leadership in criminal justice administration. She was a four-time Golden Eagle Scholar along with a five-time member of the Big Sky All-Academic team.
Athletically, Rodabaugh earned an honorable mention All-Big Sky nod during the 2023-24 season, starting in 33 out of 34 games to average 10.5 points per contest. Rodabaugh is sixth on NAU's all-time scoring list with 1,357 career points and is the all-time leader in career three-pointers made and attempted. She leaves Northern Arizona ranked in the top-ten in 12 career statistical categories.
Young graduated with a 3.9 GPA as a health science, nutrition, and foods major. Shortly after graduation, Young finished runner-up at the Division I NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the 5,000-meters to conclude his collegiate career at Northern Arizona. In August, Young will toe the line at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 10,000-meters after finishing third in the Olympic Trials and signing his first professional contract with adidas shortly after.
Young had a historic year, beginning with an outstanding cross country season where he won the Big Sky's individual title for the second-straight season before going on to place second at the NCAA Mountain Regional. At the NCAA National Championships, he placed sixth to help the men secure a second-place finish.
The Camarillo, Calif., native took things to a new level during the indoor track season, beginning with a first-place finish in the 3,000-meter in his first race of the season with the fourth-fastest time in NCAA history. In his first home meet of the season, Young ran the first sub-four-minute mile ever at 7,000 feet. Two weeks later, he competed at the John Thomas Terrier Classic, running a collegiate 5,000-meter record and becoming the first collegiate athlete to run a sub-13 minute 5k. Young was a member of the Distance Medley Relay team which ran the third fastest time in collegiate history and he later won the mile at the Big Sky Championships and placed third in the 800-meter. Young competed in the 3K and the 5K at the NCAA National Championships, taking the individual title in both to become a two-time national champion. His 3K time was also a meet record.
Outdoors, Young ran an NAU, Big Sky, and NCAA record time of 26:52.72 in the 10,00-meter at The TEN meet. A first-team All-American outdoors, Young also won the Big Sky's 5,000-meter title while finishing second in the 1,500-meters and third in the 800-meters.
