Bruins celebrate 2023-24 at 50th Annual BU Athletics Banquet
The Bellevue University Athletic Department recognized and highlighted the outstanding accomplishments of its student-athletes on the field/court and in the classroom at the 50th Annual BU Athletics Banquet held at the Beardmore Events Center Wednesday evening in Bellevue.
The Bellevue University Athletic Department recognized and highlighted the outstanding accomplishments of its student-athletes on the field/court and in the classroom at the 50th Annual BU Athletics Banquet held at the Beardmore Events Center Wednesday evening in Bellevue.
Women's soccer standout defender Ximena Jauregui was named the school's Female Athlete of the Year. Baseball All-American catcher Logan Grant garnered BU Male Athlete of the Year honors.
Conference Golfer of the Year Maria Pinedo (women's golf) was recognized as the Female Academic Athlete of the Year. Nick Grade (baseball), an all-conference and Gold Glove recipient at third base, was honored as the Male Academic Athlete of the Year.
In addition, the Bellevue University Athletics mascot, Brutus, was celebrated with the Bruin Award.
The BU Athletic Department also honored Aminah Hall (women's basketball) as the Female Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. Gage Juhlin (baseball) earned Male Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year accolades.
Head Athletic Trainer Mike Livergood honored Liana McMurtry as the Student Athletic Trainer of the Year.
Ximena Jauregui
The Female Athlete of the Year, Ximena Jauregui, is a two-year women's soccer standout. She has been integral to Bellevue's success over the course of her time at BU, guiding the Bruins to a 25-7-3 record, a pair of Continental Athletic Conference Championship Game appearances, the 2022 CAC Title, and an appearance in the 2022 NAIA National Tournament.
A native of Cancun, Mexico, Jauregui has collected numerous postseason accolades throughout her career. She is a two-time Continental Athletic Conference Player of the Year, two-time first-team all-CAC selection, a 2022 NAIA All-American, a CSC Academic All-District, and BU's first-ever CSC Academic All-American.
Despite playing just two seasons at Bellevue, she established herself as one of the best playmakers in program history. She is one of just three players to assist 10 or more goals in multiple seasons; her 22 career assists are good for sixth all-time, and her 60 career points are good for 12th in program annals.
This season, she led the Bruins with 11 assists and 33 points. Not just a passer, she also shared team-high honors by scoring 11 goals this season, three of which proved to be game-winners, giving her 19 for her two-year career.
For as good as her stats are, her impact on the program is not entirely quantifiable; she was one of the best players in the country at completing passes, creating chances, and winning aerial duels while standing just over five feet tall.
Logan Grant
The Male Athlete of the Year, Logan Grant, is a two-year baseball standout. He has been an anchor in the lineup over the past seasons, helping Bellevue to four North Star Athletic Association Championships (two regular season, two tournament).
The Chestermere, Alberta native has helped the Bruins to an 87-24 record in two seasons, a pair of NAIA National Tournament Appearances, and the program's 16 Avista NAIA World Series appearance last season.
This season, he batted .346 with an OPS of 1.178 (read eleven seventy-eight) and delivered just the fifth 20-home run season in program history. In addition to his team-high home run total, he led the club with 16 doubles, 37 extra-base hits, and 66 runs batted in. He was second on the team in both slugging percentage and hits.
In addition to this, his name can be found all over the Bruin Records book. Thus far in his career, he is one of just 12 players with an OPS north of 1.100 (read eleven hundred) and is 12th in career slugging percentage at .655 (read six fifty-five). He ranks fourth with 31 career home runs, ninth with 135 RBIs, 14th with 60 extra-base hits and 270 total bases, and in the top 25 with 147 hits.
Last year's NSAA Newcomer of the Year, Grant expounded upon his success as he earned significant weekly awards, both foreign and domestic, and postseason accolades. For his performance, he was a first-team all-conference selection, a Gold Glove at catcher, and the NSAA Player of the Year.
Maria Pinedo
The Female Academic Athlete of the Year, Maria Pinedo, is a women's golf standout who has demonstrated dedication and excellence in the classroom and on the course throughout her three-year Bruin career.
A native of Neiva, Colombia, Pinedo has compiled an impressive 3.979 GPA in Business Administration. She has been named to the Dean's List for six semesters.
Pinedo is a three-time North Star Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete honoree and is a three-time first-team all-NSAA selection. She is also a three-time Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Scholar-Athlete and a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
This season, Pinedo was named the North Star Athletic Association's Women's Golfer of the Year after earning NSAA Golfer of the Week honors six times throughout the season. Individually, she placed in the top five in eight of 14 tournaments in which she competed, winning the Kaitlyn Erickson Doane Invitational and sharing first-place honors in the Bronco Fall Invite, which went to a playoff.
She helped the Bruins to the team title at the 2024 NSAA Golf Championships and to Bellevue's 10th appearance in the NAIA National Championship.
Pinedo is driven, passionate, and determined in her schoolwork and athletic endeavors.
Nick Grade
The male Academic Athlete of the Year, Nick Grade, is a baseball standout who has excelled in the classroom throughout his BU career. The junior from Kennewick, Wash., has amassed an impressive 3.935 GPA in Cybersecurity.
He has been named to the Dean's List for five consecutive semesters.
An elite defender while manning the hot corner, Grade won an ABCA/Rawlings-NAIA Gold Glove last season and is a finalist to repeat this year. He is also a two-time NSAA Gold Glove recipient and has twice earned all-NSAA honors.
Excelling in the classroom, Grade is an NSAA Scholar-Athlete and a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
He has been a model student since arriving at BU in the fall of 2022 and has done a tremendous job of balancing the rigorous demands of being a collegiate athlete and a student. Grade maintains a high level of academic achievement, was a crucial member of this year's NSAA Championship baseball team, and continually contributes positively to the Bellevue University community.
BOSA Cup Champions
Also honored on the evening was the outstanding accomplishment of Bellevue's BOSA representatives in capturing the 2023-24 BOSA Cup.
The Board of Student-Athletes (BOSA) is a committee comprising 14 student-athletes, two from each of the seven NSAA member institutions. BOSA is assembled to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete welfare, maintaining athletic integrity, acting as a liaison between student-athletes and the administration, and fostering a positive student-athlete image for the student-athlete experience.
The purpose of the NSAA Board of Student-Athletes is to engage in ongoing education and collaboration that will benefit the health, safety, and development of the student-athletes. BOSA serves as the voice of all NSAA student-athletes in the NSAA's governance. BOSA provides a platform for student-athletes to discuss issues of concern to them, offer feedback to NSAA members, and propose legislation or policy changes as appropriate. BOSA serves as an advocacy group for the NSAA student-athletes to enhance their collegiate athletics experience. Additionally, BOSA allows its members to develop their leadership skills as they represent and empower all NAIA student-athletes.
Behind the leadership of BU's BOSA Representatives, Sidney Sledge (volleyball), Kaziah Terrell (women's basketball), and Aminah Hall (women's basketball), as well as their Staff Advisors, Russ Lane and Michala Cimino, the Bruins captured the North Star Athletic Association's 2023-24 BOSA Cup Championship. It marked the second straight year the Bruins have captured the BOSA Cup.
2023-24 BOSA Points (Final Standings)
Bellevue University: 16,550 Points
Mayville State University: 16,362 Points
Viterbo University: 8,210 Points
Waldorf University: 7,350 Points
Valley City State University: 6,750 Points
Dickinson State University: 5,510 Points
Dakota State University: DNP