Former Drexel Prep sprinter Alia Armstrong nabs Sugar Bowl honor

By the Allstate Sugar Bowl

Alia Armstrong, who became New Orleans’ fastest high school female hurdler as a high school senior at St. Katharine Drexel Prep in 2018, has continued her brilliant track career as a sophomore at LSU as the Southeastern Conference champion.`

For her achievements as one of the nation’s top athletes, Armstrong has been selected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s Outstanding Female Amateur Athlete of the Year from the New Orleans area.

The Greater New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, selects annual award winners in a variety of categories; it also selects Amateur Athletes of the Month and each year’s Hall of Fame class.

Overall, 26 individuals and four teams will be honored for their 2021-22 achievements at the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Awards Banquet on July 30.

Armstrong, captured the national championship in the 100-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 11. Her time of 12.57 seconds in rainy conditions landed LSU its first 100-meter hurdle title since 2000.

Armstrong followed up her NCAA Championship performance by placing third in the 100-meter hurdles at the United States Track & Field Championships (all athletes, including professionals) to earn a slot on Team USA for the Track & Field World Championships to be held in July. She posted a time of 12.47 seconds to earn her spot 0n the national team.

During her senior campaign at Drexel Prep, Armstrong set composite state records in the 100-meter (13.33) and 300-meter hurdles (42.60). Her time in the highs was the state’s fastest ever. During that meet, she also ran a leg on Drexel Prep’s winning 4-by-200-meter relay team.

The other finalists for Greater New Orleans Female Athlete of the Year were Kate Baker (Dominican volleyball), Kennedy Hansberry (Loyola basketball) and Jaylee Womack (Ponchatoula basketball). 

Baker, a 5-8 senior setter, capped an outstanding season for Dominican by earning Outstanding Player honors in the LHSAA Division I state championship match on Nov. 13. In the championship match, Baker, a setter, tallied 52 assists and 38 digs as Dominican captured its second straight title.

Hansberry, a senior from Atlanta, earned All-America recognition and was the Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year after scoring 14.3 points per game to lead the Wolf Pack to the conference title. 

Womack led the Green Wave to a thrilling LHSAA Class 5A state championship after averaging 27.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 5.5 steals per game. She achieved the 1,000-point milestone (1,030) for her senior season alone and finished her career with 2,865 points.