Northern Arizona’s Brad Bedortha has been selected the 2008-09 Big Sky Conference golf Coach of the Year.

The conference head coaches voted for the honor, which was announced by the league office on Tuesday.

Bedortha, who took over at Northern Arizona with three tournaments remaining in the 2007-08 season, guided the Lumberjacks to the Big Sky Championship April 20-22 at Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz. It was NAU’s sixth conference championship, but first since 2002.

Northern Arizona’s season also included victory at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic, and second-place finishes at the Hiddenbrooke Intercollegiate and the Northern Arizona Mountain Invitational.

Northern Arizona senior Ali Carter earned first-team All-Conference honors, while sophomores Bethany Leclair and Alexa Kim were second team selections.

Bedortha came to Northern Arizona from Division II Ferris State in Michigan, where he was named the National Coach of the Year in 2005. While at Ferris, he was named conference coach of the year three times, and NCAA Division II East Regional Coach of the Year four times.

Northern Arizona will represent the Big Sky Conference as the NCAA West Regional May 7-9 in Tempe, Ariz.