NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Thirty individuals and two teams were honored at the annual Allstate Sugar Bowl Sports Awards Banquet presented by LCMC Health on Saturday, August 2, at the Caesars Superdome. In addition to welcoming four inductees to its New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame, the Sugar Bowl recognized its annual James J. Corbett Award winners, the top coaches, athletes, and teams from New Orleans, and the Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month for 2024-25. The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, a group of current and former media members, selected all of the honorees.
“It’s truly an honor to be here tonight at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Sports Awards Banquet celebrating the incredible athletic talent and the community spirit of our great city and state,” said Greg Feirn, the CEO of LCMC Health, the presenting sponsor of the event. “Tonight, we have the privilege of recognizing individuals who embody dedication, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”
“We say this every year, but it truly is a very challenging process to pare [the nominees] down to that number [32 honorees],” said emcee Doug Mouton, the sports director of WWL-TV and a member of the Sports Awards Committee. “There are so many deserving candidates in every category. It’s not an easy process, there are plenty of arguments; but I feel like we have a very memorable group of honorees tonight. These are the best of the best for the city of New Orleans.”
The New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame was created in 1971 and has honored 264 sports figures (through 2025) who were born in New Orleans and achieved prominence in or away from the New Orleans area; or, those non-natives who achieved sports prominence in the New Orleans area in high school, college, professional or amateur sports. Plaques honoring the Hall of Famers were displayed prominently in the Caesars Superdome until the current phases of renovations. They will be returned to prominence as part of the current project.
New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025:
Shan Foster, Basketball, Bonnabel HS/Vanderbilt/NBA, 2001-13Temeka Johnson, Basketball, Bonnabel HS/LSU/WNBA, 1997-2018Joe McKnight, Football, John Curtis Christian School/USC/NFL, 2004-16Andy Russo, Basketball, Fortier HS/USL/Brother Martin HS, 1956-78
The Corbett Award was created in 1967 and named in honor of the late James J. Corbett to commemorate his many contributions to intercollegiate athletics and specifically to the Sugar Bowl. At the time of his death, Mr. Corbett was the Athletic Director at Louisiana State University. These awards are presented annually to the most outstanding non-professional male and female athletes in the State of Louisiana.
James J. Corbett Awards:
Male: Kade Anderson, LSU Baseball
Female: Aneesah Morrow, LSU Basketball
“This year’s Corbett Award winners are excellent additions to the Award’s history,” said Dottie Reese, the President of the Sugar Bowl Committee. “One led his team to a national championship and the other was selected as the top player in the nation at her position. Both are currently playing professionally. This year’s honorees are proof that sports in the state of Louisiana are truly played at an outstanding level. The Sugar Bowl is very proud to have the opportunity to recognize them both.”
New Orleans Annual Awards:
Eddie Robinson Award – Burzis Kanga, UNO Tennis
Jimmy Collins Awards: Noah Confident, Brother Martin Wrestling; Brian Marelo, Hahnville
Outstanding Collegiate Coach, Louisiana: Brad Neffendorf, LSU Shreveport Baseball
Outstanding Boys’ Prep Coach of the Year, New Orleans: Hank Tierney, Archbishop Shaw Football
Outstanding Girls’ Prep Coach of the Year, New Orleans: Courtney Ward, Sacred Heart Basketball
Outstanding Female Athlete, New Orleans: My-Anh Holmes, Willow Tennis
Outstanding Male Athlete, New Orleans: Kade Anderson, LSU Baseball
Outstanding Boys’ Prep Team, New Orleans: Edna Karr Football
Outstanding Girls’ Prep Team, New Orleans: Slidell Volleyball
The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, with the support of the Allstate Sugar Bowl, also selected six standout student-athletes to receive Women in Sport Scholarships. Honorees were selected based on their athletic and academic success as well as their involvement in community service and an essay they wrote regarding why they felt they were deserving of an Allstate Sugar Bowl scholarship.
Women in Sport Scholarship Honorees (presented by LCMC Health):
Jenna Eaton (Riverdale High School)
Elizabeth Hamilton (Archbishop Chapelle High School)
Jaime Harper (Thomas Jefferson Academy)
Julia Jenkins (Covington High School)
Reagan Robinson (Slidell High School)
Kasia Rodriguez (Pope John Paul II High School)
“While we are very proud of the competition opportunities we offer the young people of this region, there’s something else the Bowl does to impact our community,” Reese said. “We provide significant scholarship money to deserving student-athletes from the area. Each spring, the Sugar Bowl Committee presents scholarship checks to outstanding high school football players. And each year at this event, we recognize a talented group of female scholar-athletes. Honoring young student-athletes for their hard work and dedication is one of the most rewarding initiatives of the Sugar Bowl Committee.”
The New Orleans Sports Awards Committee came together in 1957 when James Collins spearheaded a group of sports journalists to form a sports awards committee to immortalize local sports history. For 13 years, the committee honored local athletes each month and a variety of annual award winners. In 1970, the Sugar Bowl stepped in to sponsor and revitalize the committee, leading to the creation of the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, honoring 10 legends from the Crescent City in its first induction class. While adding the responsibility of selecting Hall of Famers, the committee has continued to recognize the top athlete in the Greater New Orleans area each month as well as a range of annual awards – the honors enter their 69th year in 2025.
Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month, 2024-25
July, 2024: Brayden Bertucci (Gibbs Construction Cardinals Baseball)
August, 2024: Tanner Schexnaydre (Eastbank Little League Baseball)
September, 2024: Nate Sheppard (Mandeville High School Football)
October, 2024: Makhi Hughes (Tulane University Football)
November, 2024: John Johnson (Edna Karr High School Football)
December, 2024: Jy’Heim Williams (South Plaquemines High School Football)
January, 2025: Cherie Spencer (Northshore High School Basketball)
February, 2025: Richie Clementi (Brother Martin High School Wrestling)
March, 2025: Drew Timmons (Archbishop Hannan High School Basketball)
April, 2025: Elizabeth Hamilton (Archbishop Chapelle High School Bowling)
May, 2025: Kade Anderson (LSU Baseball)
June, 2025: Jade Neves (Academy of the Sacred Heart Golf)
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