HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (June 20, 2024) – The University of North Alabama was well-represented at the 2024 Rocket City Awards on Monday night in Huntsville, as senior women's soccer goalkeeper
Adriana Wright and sophomore men's basketball guard
Jacari Lane won the College Athlete of the Year awards.
The 2nd Annual Rocket City Awards is presented by Woody Anderson Ford and highlights local athletes, coaches and programs from the North Alabama region. The show is hosted by ESPN 97.7 The Zone and WHNT News 19.
The Lions were also nominated for two other honors, including two nominations for the Women's College Team of the Year award. Both the Lion soccer and softball teams received nominations after stellar campaigns.
UNA Soccer head coach
Chris Walker was also nominated for College Coach of the Year after leading the program to its best Division I season with an 11-5-6 record and an appearance in the 2023 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship Final.
The 2024 Women's College Athlete of the Year, Wright is a name familiar to many in the area. She spent four years at Alabama-Huntsville before transferring to UNA for her fifth season. Wright was stellar in net for the Lions, setting the North Alabama program record for shutouts in a season on her way to being selected to the All-South Region Second Team.
Wright was tabbed ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year, ASUN All-Conference First Team and was a two-time ASUN Goalkeeper of the Week selection in 2023. Entering the 2023 NCAA College Cup, Wright was tied for the NCAA lead in shutouts with 13.
"It's a fantastic achievement for Adriana and a great wat to end her college career," said Walker. "We are extremely proud of her. It's also great recognition for how well our program did this past season."
Lane made history as the first back-to-back winner of the Male College Athlete of the Year awards after winning the inaugural award in 2023. Lane earned first team all-conference honors after starting all 32 games this season. He averaged 14.7 points per game and nearly 16.0 PPG in conference play. He broke his own UNA Division I school record with 122 assists to average nearly 4.0 assists per game.
"I am very proud of Jacari for winning back-to-back Athlete of the Year awards," said UNA head men's basketball coach
Tony Pujol. "I am thrilled to watch Jacari move into a leadership role in our program this upcoming season and cannot wait to see what he can accomplish as a junior. The Rocket City Awards is a great event, and 97.7 The Zone and their sponsors do a great job promoting athletics at all levels in North Alabama."
Other awards were distributed in the high school, college and professional categories. Baltimore Orioles pitcher and Huntsville native Craig Kimbrel headlined the night as the Professional Athlete of the Year from the North Alabama area.
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