Brooklyn, N.Y. – Long Island University senior women's golf standout Natalie Desjardins earned Female Athlete of the Year honors, while junior James Jones of the baseball team earned Male Athlete of the Year honors it was announced on Wednesday evening. Seniors Amy Johnson of the women's soccer and bowling teams and Jukka Lehto of the men's soccer team were named LIU's Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Desjardins had a dominant year on the links, racking up an impressive eight top six finishes en route to being named the Northeast Conference Women's Golfer of the Year. She collected four individual wins – nearly half of all the events LIU competed in – and had a stretch of three straight victories spanning the fall and spring schedules. Desjardins closed out the year with a second-place finish at the NEC Championship, which was highlighted by a season-low round of 71 on the final day to help lead the Blackbirds to a second-place team finish.
One of LIU's top all-around athletes, Jones has enjoyed a solid season for the Blackbirds on the mound, in the field and at the plate. Jones has compiled an impressive list of offensive statistics that rank among the top 10 in the NEC in nearly every category including batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored and home runs. He is also among the league leaders in stolen bases and will finish his career at LIU at the top of the all-time list. On the mound he has been a work horse, ranking among the league leaders in innings pitched and strikeouts. Jones, who was rated as one of the top prospects by Baseball America entering the season, flashed his immense talent on April 17 when he hit for the cycle to lead the Blackbirds past Sacred Heart.
The scholar-athlete awards are presented annually to the male and female student-athletes who have completed their eligibility during the current year and have the highest overall grade-point averages through the fall semester. Johnson, a sports sciences major, who has compiled a 3.962 grade-point average, is a member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll and the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I Team. Johnson led the NEC in goals against average on the soccer field, while ranking second on the bowling team in scoring average. Lehto graduated Cum Laude in December with a 3.567 GPA in business management and marketing. A member of the NEC Commissioner's Honor Roll, he led LIU in scoring and was named to the all-conference second team and the North Atlantic Region Third Team.
In addition to the Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, Long Island also recognized award winners for each sport and its other major awards.
Presented to the student-athlete who exemplifies leadership, sportsmanship and achievement that the late William “Dolly” King personified as a student-athlete, administrator and coach.
Presented to the student-athlete who exemplifies leadership, sportsmanship and achievement that Clair Isicson-Merle personified as a student and an athlete.
This award is in honor of Leonard Ching, a Brooklyn Campus administrator in the student activities office from 1967 until he retired in 1984. Through his efforts, the enrollment of international students increased and the student life was enhanced.
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Men's Soccer
Women's Soccer
Volleyball
Tennis
Lacrosse
Women's Cross Country
Men's Cross Country
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Men's Indoor Track & Field
Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Men's Golf
Women's Golf
Women's Bowling
Baseball