Greater New Orleans Amateur Athlete of the Month

The Greater New Orleans Sports Awards Committee began 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. In 1970, the Sugar Bowl stepped in to sponsor and revitalize the committee, leading to the 1971 creation of the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame, 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 amateur athlete in the Greater New Orleans area each month – the honors enter their 61st year in 2017. To be eligible, an athlete must be a native of the greater New Orleans area or must compete for a team in the metropolitan region. Each of the monthly award winners are honored in the summer at the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, hosted by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Erin Burkart, state champion bowler for Academy of Our Lady, was selected as the Greater New Orleans Amateur Athlete of the Month honor for April. Burkart led Academy of Our Lady to an undefeated season and the state girls bowling championship – the first state title in any sport in the history of the school. Burkart, who led AOL with a 180 average in the regular season, had a season-high 683 series, including a 266 game, in the championship match, a 19-8 victory over East Ascension. One day later, Burkart won the title in the singles portion of the two-day state championship event, firing a four-game series of 830 to rally from sixth place. Less than a week after her championship double, Burkart signed a national letter-of-intent to compete collegiately at Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She capped off the month of April by winning the title of the girls under-20 division of the Pepsi Louisiana Championships in Bossier City.

Burkart faced tough competition for the April honor. Cade Beloso led the John Curtis Christian School baseball team to an impressive month of April, including capturing the Catholic League title – Beloso hit .360 during the month while also picking up a pair of wins on the mound. Brandon Briuglio starred for the Delgado Community College baseball team, batting .477 in 12 games while leading the Dolphins to the JUCO Region 23 Championship. Tulane tennis star Constantin Schmitz led the Green Wave to its first conference title in 13 years and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the American Athletic Conference Men’s Tennis Championships.