Cascade Conference release

LA GRANDE – Southern Oregon University catcher Julia Willison (Reno, Nevada/McQueen)'s career was capped with a selection to the All-Cascade Conference softball team and third baseman Ashley Lowe (Sacramento, Calif./Ck. McClatchy) was given honorable mention, the league office announced Saturday.

Willison's .516 on-base percentage led the CCC and her .381 batting average was sixth. She was also among the league leaders in slugging (.598) with team-bests of three home runs, 12 doubles, 23 RBI and 23 runs scored.

She was the first Raider with an OBP better than .500 since Strohm Fouty got on at a .519 rate in 2009. The native of Reno, Nev., hit 14 career homers, ranking third in school history.

Lowe, a senior from Sacramento, Calif., enjoyed her most productive season at SOU with a .313 batting average, 10 doubles, 20 RBI and a team-best 40 hits. She hit .330 during league play with a .358 on-base percentage.

The duo helped lead SOU to its first postseason appearance since 2010. The Raiders finished fourth in the CCC, going 14-14, and went 15-23 overall.

Oregon Tech shortstop Shauna Collins, who hit .380 and scored 56 runs, was named the CCC Player of the Year. OIT's Greg Stewart was the coach of the year for leading the Owls to the regular season title; College of Idaho's Nickayla Skinner was the Pitcher of the Year after winning 20 games with a 1.74 earned-run average; and Concordia outfielder Meghan Luebbert, who hit .408, was the Newcomer of the Year.