By: SOU Sports Information
ASHLAND – A memorable weekend across the athletic department netted a Cascade Conference Team of the Week nod and three Player of the Week awards for Southern Oregon, the CCC office announced Monday.
The SOU men's wrestling squad got the team recognition by winning its first CCC title in seven years on Saturday in Redding, Calif. The Raiders – who entered the tournament ranked No. 10 in the NAIA and third in the conference poll – had individual champions in
Evan Potter (141 pounds),
Aaron Gandara (157) and
Asher Ruchti (197), All-CCC performers in
Dylan Clark (125),
Braylin Ruchti (174) and
Elias Corona (197), and additional national qualifiers in
Vonn Fenn (125),
Simon Graeber (133),
Dylan Straley (157) and
Adrian Chavez-Morales (184).
Gandara, who became the team's first three-time CCC champion, was named the Wrestler of the Tournament.
Joel Gibson, in his fifth season leading the program, was tabbed CCC Coach of the Year. The Raiders will bring their largest group of qualifiers in 10 seasons to the NAIA Championships, March 6-8 in Park City, Kan.
The Raider women's basketball team, which became the first to complete an undefeated regular season in CCC history, swept the individual weekly awards.
Morgan Baird was named the offensive player of the week after averaging 24.0 points on 70% shooting over three games – she scored a career-high 31 in Saturday's win against Multnomah – and
Clara Robbins received the defensive award for compiling 17 rebounds, eight blocked shots and five steals.
SOU's third honoree was senior outfielder
Kailer Fulton, who earned the softball offensive award on the heels of a 10-for-19 stretch over six games at bat. Her week started with a four-hit game at Simpson, where she hit the game-winning RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning. It continued at the NAIA SB Invitational, where she scored seven runs and helped the No. 4-ranked Raiders (11-1 overall) go 4-1 with wins over the Nos. 2, 3 and 17 teams in the NAIA.
The Raider women's basketball begins the CCC Tournament at home 7 p.m. Wednesday with a quarterfinal game against Evergreen (Wash.). The softball team is home for the first time this weekend, opening CCC play with doubleheaders against Warner Pacific at 1 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.