NAMPA, Idaho - Northwest Nazarene University has announced that the 2026 Kettle Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Brandt Center.

The event will honor the efforts and achievements of NNU teams, student-athletes, and coaches during the 2025-26 academic year.

Once again, we are inviting family, friends, and the NNU community to this special event. Tickets are not required, admission is free for all attendees. Dress is business formal attire, and the night will include a professional photographer, special awards, and reflections from student-athletes.

The ceremony, which is sponsored by St. Luke's Sports Medicine, will also be live streamed by NNU.

A group of Nighthawks is called a "kettle," hence the name for our NNU Athletics awards ceremony.

A review of last years' Kettle Awards recipients is below, as well as a link to all the honorees from the past three years available here.

2025 Kettle Awards
Arthur D. Ortman Award (Women's Soccer) - Allison Wolf
W.A. "Art" Horwood Award (Men's Soccer) - Sullivan Smith
Bennett Award (Volleyball) - Maren Machado
Roberts Inspirational Award (Volleyball) - Morgan Wilding
Steve Hills Award (Women's Cross Country) - Morgan Erler
Steve Hills Award (Men's Cross Country) - Brody Kemble
Salisbury Award (Women's Basketball) - Kendall Clark
Glen Reed Award (Men's Basketball) - Kye Dickson
Eldon Beer Award (Baseball) - Noah Palomares
J.B. Frazier Award (Baseball) - Cole Calnon
Bobby Halle Award (Softball) - Emma Mulligan & Emilie Hernandez
Taylor Golf Award (Men's Golf) - Benjamin Mulder
Taylor Golf Award (Women's Golf) - Christine Cho
L.E.S. Award (Women's Track & Field) - Destany Herbert
Wesley O. Young Award (Men's Track & Field) - Gerohm Rihari
Most Inspirational Performance of the Year - Beaux Bruegman, Women's Basketball
Rookie of the Year - Miah Lusk, Softball
Breakout Athletic Performance of the Year - Cole Calnon, Baseball
Best Performance of the Year - Men's Indoor Distance Medley Relay GNAC Title
Team Academic Award - Women's Basketball, 3.73 Fall GPA
Team Community Service Award - Softball
Coach of the Year - Jon Hawkins, Men's Basketball
Hopkins-Humphrey Female Athlete of the Year - Destany Herbert, Women's Track & Field
Orrin E. Hills Male Athlete of the Year - Sullivan Smith, Men's Soccer