NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN! CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE FOR A FEATURE AWARD!

GUEST SPEAKER

KEVIN FAULK

Kevin Faulk has pretty much done it all in the game of football. As a sophomore quarterback at Carencro High, Faulk helped the Golden Bears win the first state football championship in Lafayette Parish history with a memorable 28-27 overtime win over Neville in 1992. He then earned All-American status over the next two seasons, ending his high school career with 7,612 all-purpose yards and 89 touchdowns, while twice being named as the Class 5A Offensive Most Valuable Player. Faulk’s college recruitment was the most celebrated of his era, settling on LSU where he helped to resurrect the Tigers’ program. He earned All-American status at LSU and three times was a first-team All-SEC performer, finishing his career with 4,557 yards – second behind Georgia’s Herschel Walker. His 6,833 all-purpose yards and 53 touchdowns were the best in SEC history until Florida’s Tim Tebow broke it in 2009.

Faulk was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last year. He returned to LSU as a player development director and coach and his influence was instrumental during the national title season of 2019. After being drafted in the second round by the New England Patriots in 1999, he helped the franchise win three Super Bowls. Faulk was voted onto the Patriots’ 50th Anniversary team and he’s in the Patriots’ Hall of Fame.

GUEST SPEAKER

KEVIN FAULK

Kevin Faulk has pretty much done it all in the game of football. As a sophomore quarterback at Carencro High, Faulk helped the Golden Bears win the first state football championship in Lafayette Parish history with a memorable 28-27 overtime win over Neville in 1992.

He then earned All-American status over the next two seasons, ending his high school career with 7,612 all-purpose yards and 89 touchdowns, while twice being named as the Class 5A Offensive Most Valuable Player.

Faulk’s college recruitment was the most celebrated of his era, settling on LSU where he helped to resurrect the Tigers’ program.

He earned All-American status at LSU and three times was a first-team All-SEC performer, finishing his career with 4,557 yards – second behind Georgia’s Herschel Walker. His 6,833 all-purpose yards and 53 touchdowns were the best in SEC history until Florida’s Tim Tebow broke it in 2009.

Faulk was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last year. He returned to LSU as a player development director and coach and his influence was instrumental during the national title season of 2019.

After being drafted in the second round by the New England Patriots in 1999, he helped the franchise win three Super Bowls. Faulk was voted onto the Patriots’ 50th Anniversary team and he’s in the Patriots’ Hall of Fame.

2023 HYPE VIDEO

MAY 10 • 7 PM
CAJUNDOME Convention Center

Tickets can be purchased online at the above link or in person at the CAJUNDOME Box Office, Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM, to avoid online convenience fees.

MAY 10
7 PM
Lafayette Convention Center

Tickets can be purchased online at the above link or in person at the CAJUNDOME Box Office, Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM, to avoid online convenience fees.

ABOUT STAR OF STARS

This is the inaugural year The Acadiana Advocate will honor high school athletes from across the Acadiana metro area as Star of Stars for their excellence in individual sports. These athletes are selected as the best in their sports for the 2022-2023 school year based on all-district, all-metro and all-state honors, performances at regional and state competitions, along with recommendations of area coaches.

CHOOSING OUR WINNERS

We allow the athletes statistics, achievements and awards to speak for themselves. The Acadiana Advocate compiles the accomplishments of the top performers in 15 sports sanctioned by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. The Acadiana Advocate also asks metro area schools to nominate top boys and girls athletes from their schools. From those nominees, one boy and one girl are chosen as the Athlete of the Year winners. The accomplishments of each athlete, as well as input from area coaches, are considered as The Acadiana Advocate sports staff makes its final choices. Athlete of the Year nominees must be in grades 10 to 12 and on track to meet the NCAA’s academic qualifying standards.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

MEET THE STARS

CLICK ON STUDENT ATHLETE IMAGE TO SEE BIO
Football
Volleyball
Boys Cross Country
Girls Cross Country
Boys Swimming
Girls Swimming
Wrestling
Boys Soccer
Girls Soccer
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Baseball
Boys Bowling
Girls Bowling
Boys Golf
Girls Golf
Boys Gymnastics
Girls Gymnastics
Boys Powerlifting
Girls Powerlifting
Softball
Boys Tennis
Girls Tennis
Boys Track & Field
Girls Track & Field

MEET THE FINALISTS

Girls Coach of the Year Finalist
Girls Coach of the Year Finalist
Girls Coach of the Year Finalist
Boys Coach of the Year Finalist
Boys Coach of the Year Finalist
Boys Coach of the Year Finalist
Girls Team of the Year Finalist
Girls Team of the Year Finalist
Girls Team of the Year Finalist
Boys Team of the Year Finalist
Boys Team of the Year Finalist
Boys Team of the Year Finalist
Courage Award Winner
Spirit Award Winner
Girls Special Olympic Athlete of the Year
Boys Special Olympic Athlete of the Year
Girls Athlete of the Year Finalist
Girls Athlete of the Year Finalist
Girls Athlete of the Year Finalist
Boys Athlete of the Year Finalist
Boys Athlete of the Year Finalist
Boys Athlete of the Year Finalist

EMCEE – MICHAEL D. “MIKE” SMITH

Mike Smith has served as a public address announcer for LSU athletics events for nearly 31 years. For the past 29 seasons, he has been the “Voice of LSU Gymnastics,” the championship program competing in the Maravich Center in Baton Rouge. He has hosted the “Inside LSU Gymnastics” television show for the past 12 seasons and won two National Telly Awards, recognizing it as the best Weekly TV Sports Program in the country. In 2018, the Southeastern Conference invited Mike to serve as the announcer for the SEC Gymnastics Championships and he continues in that capacity today. Last year, he was nominated for the prestigious Bob Sheppard Award recognizing the best public address announcer in professional and collegiate sports.

By day, he is Founder and CEO of MDSA Strategic Communications – a public and government relations consultancy – service clients in the energy, petrochemical, and transportation industries. Mike has been recognizes as on of “the most influential” public relations professionals by a leading national publication.Follow Mike on his social media pages including @MikeTheTiger70775 on Facebook and Instagram, and Twitter handles @LSUGymVoice for all things LSU Gymnastics and @MDSAonline for everything else.

TO NOMINATE A STUDENT ATHLETE FOR A FEATURE AWARD, SELECT FROM THE CATEGORIES BELOW

Boys Coach of the YearGirls Coach of the YearBoys Team of the YearGirls Team of the YearCourage AwardSpirit AwardBoys Athlete of the YearGirls Athlete of the Year