PHOTO GALLERY
Photo (L-R): NAU President Dr.
John Haeger, NAU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr.
Lisa Campos, 2013 Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Jake
Hess, NAU psychology professor Dr. Meliksah Demir, 2013 Female
Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Fi Connell, Golden Eagle
Distributors President Kimberly Clements, Golden Eagle Distributors
Chairman of the Board Ginny Clements
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Golden
Eagle Distributors, Inc., honored 169 Northern Arizona University
student-athletes on Thursday for their scholastic and athletic
accomplishments at the 35th annual Golden Eagle Awards. The awards
ceremony recognizes NAU student-athletes who have made significant
contributions to the Lumberjack athletics program while maintaining
a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average.
The Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of
the Year was presented to senior football player Jake Hess, while
swimming and diving standout Fi Connell was named the Female Senior
Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Hess has a 3.55 cumulative GPA,
will graduate this spring with a major in psychology, and has plans
to attend graduate school. In his two years since transferring to
NAU from Boise State, Jake is a two-time Big Sky All-Academic
selection, two-time Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award recipient
and a 2012 Capital One Academic All-District 8 selection. On the
field, Hess captured All-Big Sky first team honors while also being
named to the Sports Network third team and he was a College Sports
Journal honorable mention All-American. Hess also received the
David Couture Award as the Most Inspirational Player on the
offensive unit at the team's banquet.
Last month, Hess was one of the
headliners of the 2013 NFF Scholar Athlete Class by the Valley of
the Sun Chapter of the National Football Foundation at the 32nd
Annual Chapter Awards Banquet in Scottsdale. He also was a
semifinalist for the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy, an award that
recognizes an individual as the best football scholar-athlete in
the nation, and was one of 54 student-athletes named to the 15th
annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors
Association Academic All-Star Team presented by KP Sports.
"Being a student-athlete I've
learned that first we must be students and leaders in the
classroom; the reward then becomes being a student-athlete," Hess
said as he accepted his award. "Education has guided me and will
continue to take me to amazing places. Thank you to Golden Eagle
distributors for their support of the banquet and the academic
success of NAU's student-athletes."
Connell, who carries a 3.78
cumulative GPA and will graduate in May with a major in psychology
and minor in health education, is a three-time WAC All-Academic
selection and a four-time Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award
recipient and has already been accepted to graduate school. On
Tuesday, she earned NAU's coveted Gold Axe award, a tribute to
outstanding academic performance, leadership and service to the
community.
In the pool Connell is a four-time
CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major All-American, having earned the award
in each of her four seasons at NAU. She is the program's all-time
record holder in the 100 and 200 backstroke and part of school
records in the 200 and 400 medley relays. In her illustrious career
Connell totaled six WAC titles, three silver medals, and two bronze
medals with 11 All-WAC First Team honors. Three of those medals
came this season as Connell led NAU to a second-place finish at the
2013 WAC Championships.
"Combining academics and athletics
is a tough feat but it is the lessons that I have learned from
being a student-athlete here at NAU that has motivated me to become
a better student each and every semester," said Connell in her
acceptance remarks. "I would like to that the Clements family and
Golden Eagle distributors for allowing NAU student-athletes to be
recognized for our academic success."
The football program led the list
of honorees with 38 student-athletes garnering Golden Eagle status,
while the women's track and field program had 28 selections. Both
the soccer and swimming and diving teams had 26 honorees. All 15 of
NAU's athletic programs were represented on the list.
The first Golden Eagle Awards were
presented at NAU in the spring of 1979 to honor athletes who
maintained high levels of scholastic achievement while performing
with distinction in the university's athletic programs. During the
past 33 years, more than 2,000 Golden Eagle Awards have been
presented. Former Golden Eagle Award winners have since gone on to
distinguish themselves in all walks of life, carrying on the fine
personal tradition of excellence embodied in these coveted
awards.
Golden Eagle Distributors has been
the exclusive distributor of Anheuser-Busch products across most of
Arizona since its creation in 1974. The family-owned company is
headquartered in Tucson with branch offices in Casa Grande,
Buckeye, Flagstaff, Globe and Holbrook, Ariz.
For more information about Golden
Eagle Distributors, Inc. please visit www.gedaz.com.
2012-13 Golden Eagle
Scholar-Athletes
Football
Jacob Abbott SO Journalism Peoria,
Ariz.
Andrew Bachelier SO Exercise
Science Rio Rico, Ariz.
Dre Bookman JR Psychology Peoria,
Ariz.
Christopher ConnollyJR Psychology
Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Jeremy Dang SR Finance Glendale,
Ariz.
Luke Daulton FR Undeclared
Flagstaff, Ariz.
Brian Drulias FR Undeclared Diamond
Bar, Calif.
George Dunlap JR Criminology &
Criminal Justice Santa Cruz, Cali.
Drew Emanuel JR Mechanical
Engineering Mesa, Ariz.
Craig Frum JR Criminology &
Criminal Justice Mesa, Ariz.
Roy Garcia JR Criminology &
Criminal Justice Tempe, Ariz.
Cary Grossart SR Strategic
Communications Folsom, Calif.
Randy Hale Jr JR Parks &
Recreation Management Buckeye, Ariz.
Austin Hasquet SO Biomedical
Science Peoria, Ariz.
Jim Herrero SO Exercise Science
Kingman, Ariz.
Jake Hess SR Psychology Reno,
Nev.
Anthony Hughes JR Strategic
Communications Peoria, Ariz.
Harrison Johnson SO Business
Glendale, Ariz.
Jacob Johnston JR Strategic
Communications Eagle, Idaho
Taylor Julio SR Marketing San
Diego, Calif.
Dylan La Frenz FR Undeclared Rancho
Cucamonga, Calif.
Michael Massey SO Exercise Science
Litchfield Park, Ariz.
Zachary McDonnell SO Exercise
Science Poway, Calif.
Taylor Patton SR Hotel &
Restaurant Management San Clemente, Calif.
Daniel Pipkin JR Biology Inglewood,
Calif.
Kyren Poe SO Finance Mesa,
Ariz.
Nicholas Ragland-Johnsen SR
Physical Education Seattle, Wash.
Tevin Ray SO Computer Science
Peoria, Ariz.
Hayden Renning JR Visual
Communication Flagstaff, Ariz.
Randall Rickert SO Electronic Media
& Film Gilbert, Ariz.
Jacob Rodriguez SO Exercise Science
New River, Ariz.
Hayden Sovacki FR Undeclared
Peoria, Ariz.
Alexander Tolliver FR Business
Moorpark, Calif.
Dezjon Walker SO Communication
Studies Chandler, Ariz.
Kyle Walker JR Criminology &
Criminal Justice Tucson, Ariz.
Robert Watson JR Criminology &
Criminal Justice Long Beach, Calif.
Andy Wilder JR Construction
Management Scottsdale, Ariz.
Chase Wilsey FR Finance Poway,
Calif.
Golf
Savana Bezdicek FR Engineering
Colbert, Wash.
Laura Jabczenski SO Biomedical
Science Tuscon, Ariz.
Stephanie Kim SR Photography Tempe,
Ariz.
Melissa Olson SO Journalism Marana,
Ariz.
Men's
Basketball
Gaellan Bewernick JR Management Los
Angeles, Calif.
Luis Flores SR Biomedical Science
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Christopher Heine JR Mechanical
Engineering Phoenix, Ariz.
Max Jacobsen JR Electrical
Engineering Lake Oswego, Ore.
Jordyn Martin FR Undeclared Las
Vegas, Nev.
Gabriel RogersJr SR Criminology
& Criminal Justice Houston, Texas
Len Springs JR Sociology Compton,
Calif.
Men's Track & Field/Cross
Country
Roman Acosta GRAD Public
Administration Modesto, Calif.
Will Aenchbacher FR Undeclared
Bentonville, Ark.
Cameron Coleman FR Exercise Science
Peoria, Ariz.
Brendan Devine GRAD History Elmira,
N.Y.
Miles Di Sabella SR Biomedical
Science Chandler, Ariz.
Timothy Freriks SR Exercise Science
Cottonwood, Ariz.
Arnaud Froidmont GRAD
Physics-Applied Namur, Belgium
Treyson Fullmer SO Business Cedar
City, Utah
Christopher Ganem SO Biomedical
Science Castle Rock, Colo.
Bahlbi GebreyohannsJR Business
Economics Indianapolis, Ind.
Caleb Hoover SO Biomedical Science
Joplin, Mo.
Vernon Jamison SO Psychology Queen
Creek, Ariz.
Matthew League FR Biology
Weatherford, Texas
Micael Ljungberg FR Mechanical
Engineering Nykoping, Sweden
Gus Margiotta JR Journalism
Gloucester, Mass.
Luis Montano SO Mechanical
Engineering Tuscon, Ariz.
Brian Shrader SO Exercise Science
Cornville, Ariz.
Men's
Tennis
Shaun Waters SR Construction
Management Melbourne, Australia
Soccer
Savannah Berry SO Exercise Science
Encinitas, Calif.
Torey Braly FR Undeclared
Cottonwood, Ariz.
Diane Buzzard SO Environmental
Engineering Flagstaff, Ariz.
Ashlynn Curnow FR Undeclared Boise,
Idaho
Alana D'Onofrio JR Biomedical
Science Pleasanton, Calif.
Lauren Doud FR Exercise Science
Phoenix, Ariz.
Shelby Foltz JR Psychology San
Diego, Calif.
Cierra Gamble FR Biomedical Science
Corona, Calif.
Natalie Gilbertson FR Health
Science-Public Health Las Vegas, Nev.
Alexia Gonzalez FR Business Las
Vegas, Nev.
Mary Harrah SO Marketing Solana
Beach, Calif.
Maya Huffman FR Undeclared
Flagstaff, Ariz.
Laura Johnson SR Elementary
Education Gilbert, Ariz.
Jessica Kettelkamp SR Civil
Engineering Phoenix, Ariz.
Cassidy McLean FR Anthropology
Henderson, Nev.
Sarah Pate FR Elementary Education
Henderson, Nev.
Elinor Priest SR English Portland,
Ariz.
Emily Roth SO Environmental Science
Coto De Caza, Calif.
Demi Schmieder FR Undeclared
Flagstaff, Ariz.
Nicole Sherwin FR Biomedical
Science San Diego, Calif.
Natasha Slaughter SR Biomedical
Science Flagstaff, Ariz.
Jordan Stenger JR Hotel &
Restaurant Management Baltimore, Md.
Malia Tano SO Hotel &
Restaurant Management Lake Forest, Calif.
Emily Wadell FR Exercise Science
Yucaipa, Calif.
Lauren Weaver JR Hotel &
Restaurant Management Winnetka, Calif.
Haley Wingender FR Exercise Science
Henderson, Nev.
Swimming &
Diving
Kristy Ardavanis SR Exercise
Science Gilbert, Ariz
Tori Braudaway JR Modern Languages
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Brooke Brittain FR Exercise Science
Wichita, Kan.
Jordan Burnes JR Criminology &
Criminal Justice Berkeley Vale, Australia
Fiona Connell SR Psychology Port
Macquarie, Australia
Andrea Derflinger JR Psychology
Anthem, Ariz.
Trinity Frazee FR Elementary
Education Mesa, Ariz.
Ashani Gottlieb JR Hotel &
Restaurant Management Boulder, Colo.
Alexandra Huff SO Criminology &
Criminal Justice Highland Park, Texas
Chelsea Jackson FR Biology
Flagstaff, Ariz.
Alexis Juergens SO Criminology
& Criminal Justice South Jordan, Utah
Emily Lewandowski SO Undeclared
Tempe, Ariz.
Emma Lowther JR Health
Science-Public Health Cockle Bay, New Zealand
Kelsey Loy SR Management Encinitas,
Calif.
Meagan Morrison SO Mechanical
Engineering Flagstaff, Ariz.
Ellissa Morrissey FR Marketing
Huntington Beach, Calif.
Rachel Palmer JR Health
Science-Public Health Bucklands Beach, New Zealand
Eva-Lotta Pold FR Undeclared San
Diego, Cali.
Monica Pruett FR Elementary
Education Houston, Texas
Catherine Ronai FR Exercise Science
Chandler, Ariz.
Rebecca Russell JR Exercise Science
Arlington, Texas
Stirling Smith JR Biomedical
Science Stoughon, Wisc.
Gwendolyn Smithberg SR Exercise
Science Seattle, Wash.
Carlye Townsend FR History San
Clemente, Calif.
Jane Wakefield JR Health
Science-Public Health Peoria, Ariz.
Caitlin Wright SO Mechanical
Engineering Tuscon, Ariz.
Volleyball
Lauren Campbell SR Mechanical Engr
Covington, Wash.
Kelli Dallmann SR Health
Science-Public Health Peoria, Ariz.
Anna Gott SR Management Phoenix,
Ariz.
Sydney Kemper SO Mechanical
Engineering Albuquerque, N.M.
Kalee Kirby SO Undeclared South
Weber, Utah
Taylor Stephens SO Exercise Science
Phoenix, Ariz.
Lexi Sullivan SR Physical Education
Mesa, Ariz.
Erin Truett SO Exercise Science
Goodyear, Ariz.
Janae Vander Ploeg FR Undeclared
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Jennifer Wilson SR Elementary
Education Anaheim, Calif.
Women's
Basketball
Shayla Batson JR Management Irvine,
Calif.
Nancy Carranza FR Exercise Science
Buckeye, Ariz.
Aubrey Davis SR Secondary
Education-Mathematics Murrieta, Calif.
Patricia Gortarez SR Hotel &
Restaurant Management Phoenix, Ariz.
Amy Patton SR Marketing Tempe,
Ariz.
Women's Track &
Field/Cross Country
Emily Bartz SO Exercise Science
Tuscon, Ariz.
Jessica Bush SO Exercise Science
Yakima, Wash.
Jade Childs FR Business Boise,
Idaho
Kenzie Estes SO Marketing
Riverside, Calif.
Isatu Fofanah FR Exercise Science
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Kayla Freeman SO Secondary
Education-Mathematics Phoenix, Ariz.
Shayla Freeman SO Secondary
Education-Chemistry Phoenix, Ariz.
Kelly Fruth SO Speech Language
Science &Tech Torrance, Calif.
Carissa Gwerder JR Communication
Studies Enumclaw, Wash.
Caroline Hogardh SO Health
Science-Public Health Halmstead, Sweden
Rolonda Jumbo FR Undeclared Chinle,
Ariz.
Lauren Justus SO Exercise Science
Glendora, Calif.
Kylene Knutsen FR Special &
Elementary Education Gilbert, Ariz.
Agnes Laurent SR Comparative
Cultural Studies Verviers, Belgium
Sydney Leliefeld FR Biomedical
Science Boring, Ore.
McKaylee Lemon FR Secondary
Education-English Gilbert, Ariz.
Kerri Lenihan SO Biomedical Science
Tuscon, Ariz.
Lisette Michaels GRAD Clinical
Speech-Language Pathology Peoria, Ariz.
Shamelle Pless SO Business
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Jamie Pomaski JR Special &
Elementary Education Grand Junction, Colo.
Brittany Price SO Exercise Science
Sandy, Ore.
Sarah Raber JR Biology Cottonwood,
Ariz.
Amanda Stricker SO Anthropology
Flagstaff, Ariz.
Lauren Stuart JR Biology Smithers,
B.C., Canada
Kasandra Vegas SR Exercise Science
Honolulu, Hawai'i
Julia Viberg FR Business Olofstrom,
Sweden
Meagan Wakefield FR Biomedical
Science Queen Creek, Ariz.
Jessica Weise SO Sociology
Riverside, Calif.
Women's
Tennis
Jordan Denesik FR Athletic Training
Anthem, Ariz.
Ghizelene Doballah SR Interior
Design Oran, Algeria
Nicole Perez SR Exercise Science
Fountain Hills, Ariz.
Tatum Rochin JR Strategic Comm
Tuscon, Ariz.
Hannah Stone SO Public Relations
Temecula, Calif.
Johanna Vang SO Management
Sollentuna, Sweden
Alice Walker SR Environmental
Science-Biology Sydney, Australia
