Noel Larson, left, a senior golfer, and Lindsey Carey, a senior soccer player, share the Sterling Cup during a breakfast ceremony Saturday. The two are co-chairs of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.

Sterling Presidents Cup breakfast recognizes student-athletes

More than 200 student-athletes, coaches and staff gathered Saturday morning in the Rolle Activity Center for the official presentation of the Sterling Savings Bank Presidents Cup by Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton.

NAU claimed the honor for the first time in the four-year existence of the trophy.

"It was a tremendous celebration, and it was great to see so many of Northern Arizona's student-athletes in attendance,'' Fullerton said. "I could see that the Lumberjack student-athletes took a great amount of pride in winning the Sterling Savings Bank Presidents Cup. I think this award is so important because it is about academic performance as much as it is about the performance on the playing field. Sometimes we tend to forget that these young men and women are students first."

The Sterling Savings Bank Presidents Cup is unique to collegiate athletics in that it reinforces the Big Sky Conference's dedication to the academic side of being student-athletes.

"This trophy signifies all the best of Northern Arizona University athletics," said NAU President John Haeger, "because it recognizes outstanding academic achievement as well as outstanding athletic performance."

Photo by Sam Borozan

Hundreds of student-athletes joined Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton, holding trophy, and NAU President John Haeger, at the Walkup Skydome for NAU's Sept. 16 Hall of Fame football game to receive the Sterling Savings Bank President's Cup trophy.

Haeger and Athletics Director Jim Fallis were both presented with replicas of the trophy for their offices as well as a $1,500 scholarship check from Sterling Savings Bank in recognition of the university's accomplishment.

"The university and athletic department are deeply honored to have earned this award," said Fallis, who just completed his second year leading the department. "This is a true reflection on the quality of our student athletes and coaches who work day in and day out to represent NAU at the highest level."

Haeger, Fallis and Executive Vice President MJ McMahon joined members of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, faculty, athletic department staff, athletic boosters and Flagstaff Mayor Joe Donaldson at the celebration.

Team grade point averages, graduation rates and number of all-conference performers with a grade point average above 3.0 are used to determine the academic side.

Athletic points are determined by regular-season standings for football, soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball and men's and women's tennis. Finishes in Big Sky Championships for men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf also determine points.

NAU excelled in the field and in the classroom. The Lumberjacks claimed Big Sky Conference Championships in men's and women's cross country and women's indoor and outdoor track and field. Northern Arizona won the men's regular-season basketball title, finished second at the golf championship. The women's basketball team finished third in regular-season women's basketball and third in soccer. NAU won the women's basketball postseason tournament and finished second in the soccer Championship. NAU was also third in tennis during the regular-season and second at the Championship.

NAU's athletic teams finished with an overall grade point average of 3.09. The women's golf team led the way with a 3.53 overall GPA, which was the highest among all Big Sky athletic teams during the 2005-06 academic year.

The women's tennis team posted a 3.5 GPA, followed by the women's basketball team (3.35), the women's cross country team (3.33) and the volleyball team (3.32). The soccer team posted a 3.13 GPA, while the women's indoor team had a 3.13. The women's outdoor track and field team compiled a 3.09 GPA.

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