Top Ten Athletes for Southern Utah in 2013

This is a guest blog By Carter Williams: Follow him @cwilliamsSUU on twitter.

For the fifth and reluctantly final time, I’m writing this list of the top athletes of the school year, a list I usually dub the University Journal Sports Desk Awards. It’s time I kick the proverbial collegiate bucket. Buy the T-Bird farm. Whatever the cliche is, my time at the University Journal and SUU has reached an end, and graduation has set in.

I’ve enjoyed my run, but I guess it’s true all good things have to come to an end.

The University Journal Sports Desk Awards aren’t prestigious. There’s no actual plaque or trophy — heck, not even a ribbon. However, it’s a tribute to the athletic success during the year and recognizing those who excelled in their field of play. Coincidentally, most excelled in their field of study, too.

They’re ambassadors to the university and have the power to make or break a school’s image.  

These athletes set records, made their name and broke history. They left a dent in the Big Sky in the first year of play in a new conference, or in the last year of Western Athletic Conference in gymnastics.

So without further adieu, here are the University Journal Athlete of the Year winners:

Male Athlete of the Year: Brad Sorensen, Senior, Football

For the third consecutive year, Sorensen threw for more than 3,000 yards — a feat he did all three years of his T-Bird career, and something no other quarterback has even done. He also left his SUU career with 9.445 total yards passing and 61 touchdown passes, which are both school records.

It’s safe to say his No. 4 is destined for retirement at SUU.

This season he was instrumental in a couple of big wins: 33-for-43, 392 yards, 1 TD in a 30-27 upset of then No. 1 FCS Eastern Washington, a 30-for-53, 294-yard, 2 TD performance at a rowdy Montana stadium and two overtime touchdown throws and overtime touchdown down run in then FCS Northern Arizona.

He also threw for 292 yards and four touchdowns at Cal. This is on top of a 2010 sophomore season where he piloted the T-Birds to a Great West championship and was the Great West’s final Player of the Year in 2011.

Then, on Saturday, April 27, he became the first T-Bird ever drafted in the NFL, going to the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round. This is on top of being the first T-Bird selected to an college all-star game and invited to the NFL Combine.

Anyway, it’s not just what he did on the field that impressed me. He helped organize over-the-summer football practices before the 2012 season, and worked on the SUU Grounds Crew during that time. He was never a vocal leader, but did all the little things a leader should be to be successful on and off the field.

Chargers fans probably don’t realize they got a real winner in the seventh round.

Female Athlete of the Year: Shaye Maurer-Springall, Senior, Track and Field

Maurer-Springall jumped up this list quickly during the outdoor season. Currently ranked No. 46 in the 100-meter hurdles and No. 26 in Heptathlon at a school-record 5,341 points. Those, of course, are national rankings. Maurer-Springall has been a dominant athlete since arriving at SUU, but has jumped into the national scene as time has passed.

Maurer-Springall most recent success was at the Mt. SAC Relay, where she shattered her own mark in both of the previously-mentioned national marks.

Top 10 SUU Athletes of 2012-2013:

1. Brad Sorensen, Quarterback, Football

2. Shaye Maurer-Springall, Women’s Track and Field

3. Jackson Stevenett, Forward, Men’s Basketball

4. Nate Jewkes, Men’s Track and Field

5. Michaela Chernoch, Gymnastics

6. Kayla Kovar, Thrower, Women’s Track and Field

7. Damon Heuir, Guard, Men’s Basketball

8. Analaine Mailoto, Outside Hitter, Volleyball

9. Zak Browning, Linebacker, Football

10. Stacey Brinkman, Forward, Soccer

Jackson Stevenett, who entered SUU as a walk on, led the T-Bird men’s basketball team in scoring for the third consecutive year, and finished a fraction shy of leading the Big Sky in scoring this season. His partner in crime, Damon Heuir, who landed No. 7 on my list came just short of the Big Sky lead too. Both Stevenett and Heuir landed on Big Sky’s second-team list in SUU’s first season in its new conference.

Nate Jewkes currently ranks No. 13 in the country in the 10,000-meter — a category T-Bird fans are quite familiar with from Cam Levins last year. Jewkes’ 29:08.04 in the event puts him in range to help SUU defend that title. Kayla Kovar ranks No. 45 in the women’s hammer throw.

Michaela Chernoch turned into one of the best gymnasts in the country this season, finishing in the top 50. Despite a severe ankle injury to start the season, she mastered the art of a 9.875 on the floor exercise and probably got cheated out of a 9.900+ on floor this season at least once this season.

Analaine Mailoto led the T-Birds in kills once again and is the greatest SUU volleyball player so far. Enough said.

Zak Browning led the T-Bird football team in tackles with 115 and four forced fumbles. He also won Big Sky Freshman of the Year for his efforts in the defense.

Finally there’s Stacey Brinkman, who probably had the most incredible ending to a career I’ve ever witnessed. In her final game, in double overtime, she’s lined up for a penalty kick and hit a rocket into the back of the net to win the game — oh and set the new school record in most career goals. She also led the T-Bird soccer team with five goals scored this season.

Honorable Mention: Hailey Mandelko, Women’s Basketball; Sadie Palmer, Women’s Golf; Cody Larsen, Football; James Cowser, Football; Jamie Armijo, Gymnastics; Rochelle Bernier, Gymnastics; James Cowser, Football; Ariel Zimmerman, Softball; Brittney Jensen, Gymnastics, Jayson Cheesman, Men’s Basketball; Sofia Hepworth, Women’s Basketball; Aleksandra Ivanova; Women’s Tennis