ASHLAND – Southern Oregon University's coaches and student-athletes have selected 11 individuals from opposing teams to receive Raider Rival Awards as the 2015-16 season comes to a close.

Each program was asked to pick an outstanding opponent who best embodied the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character initiative, which are respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. Established in 2010, the Raider Rival Awards also give SOU's student-athletes a chance to voice which opponents they would most like to have as teammates.

BYRON BENSON, Sr., Eastern Oregon
Sport: Football
Position: Defensive Back
Of Note: Benson was a nuisance to Raider receivers the last two years and in 2015 became a two-time All-Frontier Conference performer at cornerback. During the last two years he collected eight interceptions and in four meetings against SOU totaled 31 tackles, four pass break-ups and one pick.
Coach's Quote: "Byron was the best defensive player we saw last season and was the kind of player who could single-handedly change your game plan. He's a first-class competitor played the game the right way, and we'll be happy to not have to face him again." – Craig Howard, SOU football coach.
 
JACK CLANCY, Sr., Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
Sport: Men's Soccer
Position: Midfielder
Of Note: Clancy helped the Battlin' Bears to a 3-2 win in the teams' first ever meeting on Sept. 13 with a goal that put them up for good in the 32nd minute. He led the Cascade Conference in points with 15 goals and eight assists as the Bears went 17-3-4 overall with CCC tournament and regular-season titles and their fourth straight appearance in the NAIA tournament.
Coach's Quote: "Jack was a great attacking player that lead the CC conference in goals. We admired his ability to attack and beat multiple players with his skills and speed. He was a handful for us to defend and deal with the entire game." – Biniam Afenegus, SOU men's soccer coach.

TOBY CHEFF, Sr., Montana State-Northern
Sport: Men's Wrestling
Weight Class: 285 pounds
Of Note: Wrestling in a new weight class, Cheff became a three-time NAIA All-American in 2016 with a seventh-place finish at heavyweight after capturing a West Region title. He had two bonus-point wins against SOU this season and led the Lights to the West Region team title and a second-place showing at the NAIA Championships.
Coach's Quote: "Toby has been a four-year starter for MSUN and led his team to a Western Regional championship this season. We feel his leadership was a strong factor in his team returning to the top of NAIA West wrestling." – Mike Ritchey, SOU men's wrestling coach.

KIERA GABALDON, So., Warner Pacific
Sport: Women's Wrestling
Weight Class: 143
Of Note: Gabaldon went 2-0 with a pin and a decision in two dual matches against the Raiders this season. She went on to become Warner Pacific's only All-American by taking fourth place at the WCWA National Championships.
Coach's Quote: "She might be the toughest wrestler to come out of North Salem High." – Mike Ritchey, North Salem alum and SOU director of wrestling.

MAX HAMPTON, Sr., College of Idaho
Sport: Men's Track & Field/Cross Country
Events: Distance
Of Note: Hampton capped his collegiate career with six NAIA All-America finishes – three times at the outdoor championships, twice in cross country and once in indoor. At the Cascade Conference Championships he finished second in the 1,500 meters and the 10K, fourth in the 5K and second in cross country. And at the NAIA Championships, he took seventh in the 5K and 10K and 14th in cross country.
Coach's Quote: "Max seemed to always be in the top two or three distance runners in our conference in both cross country and during track. He scored a ton of points at the Cascade Conference meet and was still able to recover, come back, and perform well at the NAIA Championships, which says a lot about how tough a competitor he is." – Grier Gatlin, SOU track and field/cross country coach.

HALEY HESS, Sr., Eastern Oregon
Sport: Softball
Position: Shortstop
Of Note: Hess was a key cog at the top of the Mountaineers lineup with a .398 batting average and 50 runs scored, the second most in the CCC. She led EOU to a sweep of the season series against the Raiders and its first CCC tournament title on her way to garnering first team All-CCC and second team All-West Region honors.
Coach's Quote: "She made some great plays in the holes at shortstop and is always a tough out at the plate. Eastern Oregon gave us problems every time we faced them and she was a huge reason why at the top of the order." – Jessica Pistole, SOU softball coach.

KARLY LEVEQUE, Sr., Oregon Tech
Sport: Women's Basketball
Position: Guard
Of Note: A two-time All-CCC performer and a third team NAIA All-American, LeVeque pushed the Owls to their third straight appearance in the NAIA tournament and their first tourney victory. She also helped them to a matchup against SOU in the CCC tournament championship game, and in 11 career games against the Raiders she averaged 12 points with 30 assists and 18 steals.
Coach's Quote: "Karly is a great competitor. She obviously put up great numbers statistically, but we were always impressed with all of the intangibles she had to help her team win." – Alex Carlson, SOU women's basketball coach.

SIERRA PORTER, Sr., College of Idaho
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Setter
Of Note: Porter became the first three-time NAIA All-American in C of I history in 2015, ending her decorated career with 4,928 assists, 1,112 digs, 400 kills, 235 blocks and 114 aces – making her one of the most well-rounded players in conference history. She totaled 442 career assists against SOU for an average of 10.3 per set and was the common denominator on four CCC tournament championship teams.
Coach's Quote: "Sierra always represented the C of I program with integrity and an insatiable competitive drive. She's a very special player whom our coaches and players alike unanimously voted as the Raider Rival of the year. She epitomized the core values that our program – and obviously C of I's program – are based on." – Josh Rohlfing, SOU volleyball coach.

TIANA THOMAS, Sr., College of Idaho
Sport: Women's Track & Field
Events: Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps/Heptathlon
Of Note: Thomas' outstanding career ended in appropriate fashion with a title in the 400-meter titles at the NAIA Outdoor Championships. This season she won five CCC titles – scoring an astounding 54.5 points at the conference meet – and was an NAIA All-American four times over. She was named the CCC Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Year and leaves as a school-record holder in the indoor 600 meters, high jump and pentathlon and outdoor 400 meters, 400-meter hurdles and heptathlon.
Coach's Quote: "It seemed like she was in the top three of every event the last couple of years. She may have even driven the team bus to their meets. She's a great athlete in a wide variety of areas." – Grier Gatlin, SOU track and field/cross country coach.

CAITLIN WALTER, Sr., Carroll (Mont.)
Sport: Women's Soccer
Position: Defender
Of Note: Walter was a key stopper as the Saints recorded 12 shutouts last season, including a 3-0 decision at Raider Stadium on Oct. 23. The senior was named an NSCAA Academic All-American, All-CCC and All-West Region.
Coach's Quote: "She's a great competitor who was also very humble. Her team was the best in the conference this year and they obviously leaned on her leadership, but she seemed to embrace the challenge." – Jenni Rosenberg, SOU women's soccer coach.

CYRUS WARD, Sr., Corban
Sport: Men's Basketball
Position: Forward
Of Note: The 6-foot-6 Ward terrorized the Raiders with averages of 25 points on 56-percent shooting and 10.7 rebounds in three meetings this season, including a 15-for-22, 33-point, 12-rebound performance in the first round of the CCC tournament. The All-CCC selection averaged 18.9 points and eight rebounds overall.
Coach's Quote: "Cy was kind of a quiet assassin. Nothing fancy, no talking, just playing and ending up with 18 points and 10 rebounds every night – except against us, when it was always closer to 30 and 10. We're certainly glad we don't have to guard him anymore." – Brian McDermott, SOU men's basketball coach.