NEW ORLEANS (July 28, 2025) – The Allstate Sugar Bowl awards $100,000 in scholarship aid to six local student athletes through the organization's Women in Sport Scholarship program presented by LCMC Health. Five scholarship checks for $15,000 and one $25,000 scholarship were presented at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Sports Awards Banquet presented by LCMC Health on Wednesday, June 24, in New Orleans.
 
Honorees were selected by the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee 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.
 
This year's recipients were Sara Cordova (Isidore Newman School, $15,000), Addilyn Dufrene (John Curtis Christian School, $25,000), Stella Junius (Mount Carmel Academy, $15,000), Kaelyn Sharp (Covington High School, $15,000), Ja'Mia Washington (Eleanor McMain Secondary School, $15,000), and Abigail Willie (Northlake Christian School, $15,000).
 
"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," Busenlener said. "We provide significant scholarship money to deserving student-athletes from the area. Honoring young student-athletes for their hard work and dedication is one of the most rewarding initiatives of the Sugar Bowl Committee."

• Sara Cordova helped her soccer team to the state championship game three times while winning the championship twice. She was an all-metro selection and the team MVP. A New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation Scholar, she also volunteered as a youth soccer coach, she worked for her school's literary magazine, and she was a youth leader for her church. She will attend Sewanee: The University of the South.
   
• Addilyn Dufrene was a two-sport star in volleyball and track and field. She earned all-district honors in both sports and was the state champion in the high jump. A member of the National Honor Society, she was also in FCA, the Spirit Club and the Student Council. She will compete in track and field while studying exercise science at Tulane University.
   
• Stella Junius was a three-sport athlete who won a total of 14 letters during her high school career. While she helped her soccer team to a state championship and was an all-state selection, she truly made her mark in track and cross country, establishing herself as one of the top distance runners in school history. In addition to athletics, she contributed over 500 hours of volunteer service at youth camps, she served as a school ambassador, and she was a member of student government. She will continue her running career as a student at LSU this fall.
   
• Kaelyn Sharp earned a total of eight varsity letters in track & field and volleyball. She was a three-time team captain and a four-year all-district selection in volleyball. She was also a member of the "A" Honor Roll for all four years of high school and was selected as one of the top students at her school. She will play volleyball at Southeastern Louisiana this fall.
   
• Ja'Mia Washington is one of the more well-rounded students in New Orleans. In addition to being a standout softball player, serving as team captain and earning all-district recognition, she was her senior class valedictorian, she was president of the Inspire Nola Schools Student Leadership group, and president of her school's Jobs for America's Graduates program. She also volunteered as a Big Sister and held down a part-time job. She plans to continue her efforts this fall at the University of Texas.
   
• Abigail Willie lettered in four different sports and earned all-district honors in three of them. She led her teams to multiple state championships, and she was her school's Athlete of the Year. She was a member of the National Honor Society, the FCA, and the ACT 30+ Club, while volunteering with the Miracle League and with No Heart Left Behind. She will attend Millsaps College this fall.

 
Since 2020, the Sugar Bowl Committee has given out $390,000 in Women in Sport Scholarships to 37 deserving student athletes.
 
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 New Orleans area each month as well as a range of annual awards – the honors enter their 70th year in 2026.
 
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 29 national champions, 114 Hall of Fame players, 55 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 92-year history. The 93rd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will serve as a College Football Playoff Semifinal, will be played on January 15, 2027. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships, and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.6 billion into the local economy in the last decade.
 
Established in 2009, LCMC Health is a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system serving the healthcare needs of the Gulf Coast region. LCMC Health currently manages Manning Family Children's, East Jefferson General Hospital, Lakeside Hospital, Lakeview Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans and West Jefferson Medical Center.