ASHLAND – The book on Eric Avila (Chula Vista, Calif./Bonita Vista)'s time in the Cascade Collegiate Conference is closed, but now it includes the CCC's highest annual honor.

Avila has been voted the CCC Men's Athlete of the Year for all sports, the league office announced Wednesday. A week ago, the Southern Oregon University runner was named the CCC Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

On the same day he received the latter award, Avila made history in San Diego by becoming the first runner at the Jim Ryun Festival of Miles since 1988 to run the mile in under four minutes. He won with a personal-best time of 3:56.89.

The 24-year-old won three NAIA championships this year – the first at the NAIA Cross Country Championships, the second as a part of SOU's distance medley relay team at the NAIA Indoor Championships, and the last in the 1,500-meter race at the NAIA Outdoor Championships. He was also the CCC cross country champ and the Athlete of the Meet at the CCC Track and Field Championships.

College of Idaho's Hillary Holt was named the CCC Women's Athlete of the Year.