Linfield University

A total of 10 track and field student-athletes - five women and five men - have been singled out to represent Linfield University as part of the 2025 College Sports Communicators Division III Academic All-District X team, as announced Tuesday by the national association. Named to the women's CSC Academic All-District X team from Linfield are heptathlete Kira Hawaaboo, javelin thrower Kieryann Mattson, sprinter Paige Kasso, sprinter Rachelle Silis, and hurdler/horizontal jumper Jordan Roberts. The list of CSC Academic All-District X men's honorees from Linfield include high jumper Andrew Troeh, distance runners Conner Dooley and Alex Oathout, decathlete Durham Huson, and thrower Shyson Cachuela. Read the full announcement at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/6/24/ten-cats-named-to-csc-all-district-x-track-field-team.aspx

Linfield University is pleased to release its newest list of graduates. Following the spring 2025 semester, more than 470 students earned an undergraduate degree, master's degree or certificate from Linfield. The commencement ceremony and pinning ceremony for the School of Nursing were held on June 1. The university also celebrated nine members of the Wildcat Softball team at a mini graduation ceremony in Illinois on June 2, the site of the NCAA Division III National Championships.

"Aubade Featuring a Worm," a poem by Linfield University student Madeline Chandler, was among those selected for publication in "The Tributary." A student-run literary journal organized by Lycoming College, "The Tributary" features a collection of undergraduate-created poetry and prose. Chandler is a creative writing and theatre arts double major from Spokane, Washington. "I'm planning to get my master's and doctoral degrees after finishing my degrees at Linfield, so there's a long road ahead of me, and getting published through 'The Tributary' felt like assurance that I'm on the right path," Chandler said. "Signing my first professional writing contract has had me on cloud nine for weeks." The Spring 2025 edition is the third "The Tributary" has released on a national scale. Chandler is one of twelve authors featured and one of only two from the western part of the United States. "The poem they published ('Aubade Featuring a Worm') is one I wrote while in a class here at Linfield, and I'd been editing it on and off for nine months when 'The Tributary' picked it up," Chandler siad. "The poem is so close to my heart, seeing it go further than my desk drawer has meant the world to me." Read "Aubade Featuring a Worm" at https://thetributaryjournal.com/2025/04/25/aubade-featuring-a-worm/ .

Five members of the Linfield University baseball team have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District list, recognizing student-athletes for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom. Sophomore pitcher Zack Hampson, junior first baseman Nick Holm, junior outfielder Trent Wainfeld, senior catcher Tyler Marr and senior pitcher Camden Oram were each selected for the honor. Read the full announcement at GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Junior Kira Hawaaboo has been named Linfield's 2024-25 Female Athlete of the Year, capping a historic season that solidified her as one of the most accomplished multi-event competitors in school history. "Kira is without question the best athlete I've coached in my 27 years at Linfield," said track and field coach Travis Olson. Read the full announcement at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/5/27/general-interest-kira-hawaaboo-named-2024-25-female-athlete-of-the-year.aspx.

Four members of The Linfield Review's editorial team won five awards in the 2025 Collegiate News Contest held by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Congratulations to: - Jake Downing '25, photography editor, who earned first and third place in the Best Sports Photo category for OSAA 5A basketball championships and Linfield football v. Lewis and Clark. - Amelia Solt '26, sports editor, who earned first place in the Best Sports Writing category for "NBA veteran CJ McCollum made his Linfield debut." - Mariah Johnston '25, managing editor, who earned third place in the Best Feature Writing category for "Nail Check: Overcoming Anxiety and Finding Connection." - Kenny McMillen '26, staff writer, who earned third place in the Best Columnist category for "Leaf Blowers Harming Students."

Senior defensive back Chance Sparks has been named the 2025 Vern Marshall Award winner for male student-athletes, the Linfield University athletic department announced Tuesday afternoon. Presented annually since 2002, the Vern Marshall Award honors Linfield's top male and female athletes who compete with exemplary tenacity. The award was created in memory of Vern Marshall Sr., a 1957 Linfield graduate who was a standout athlete and longtime college and professional referee. Read the full announcement on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Linfield tennis standouts Emma Tuttle and Alexander Rosenquist have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District teams, recognizing their excellence both on the court and in the classroom. Read the full story at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/5/15/mens-tennis-linfields-tuttle-and-rosenquist-earn-csc-academic-all-district-honors.aspx.

Linfield University sophomore right-hander Jake Swenson has been named to the D3baseball.com All-Region 10 Third Team following a breakout 2025 campaign. Swenson served as the Wildcats' ace throughout the season, compiling a 6-5 record with a 3.76 ERA across 12 starts. In 76.2 innings pitched, the Camas, Washington, native allowed just 63 hits and 32 earned runs while striking out 94 batters, ranking first in the Northwest Conference. Read the full announcement at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/5/27/baseball-swenson-named-to-d3baseball-com-all-region-10-third-team.aspx.

Linfield Baseball's Jake Swenson was named the Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Year and five total Wildcats received all-conference honors. Swenson made the first team while Luke Porter and Camden Oram were selected to the second team. Tyler Marr and Trent Wainfeld round out the selections, making the honorable mention list. Read the full announcement at GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

After securing the program's most wins (eight) under head coach Sarah Dalsey, five Linfield players have been selected to the All-Northwest Conference teams. Gabby Crist and Grayce Miller received first team selections while Savannah Irwin, Maizri Chandler and Tenley Hodge were selected to the honorable mention list. Read the full story on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

After strong performances in the NWC Championship tournament, Linfield's Douglas Bailey, Ryder Ng and Zach LaPlaca have been named to the All-Northwest Conference teams and Ng has also been named the conference's Rookie of the Year as announced by the conference. Read the full announcement at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/4/24/mens-golf-three-wildcats-named-to-all-nwc-teams-ng-wins-rookie-of-the-year.aspx.

Five Linfield University students competed on a national stage at the National Forensic Association's National Championship Tournament in Detroit, Michigan, April 17-21. They entered the speech and debate tournament against hundreds of other university competitors, after qualifying for the competition by ranking at the top of regional tournaments in their respective speech events.

Linfield senior Jonathon Fagen, who was injured and missed participating in the NCAA regional tournament last month, came back to win three out of four matches and place sixth at the U.S. Open and World Team Trials on Saturday. Read the full story on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

The Linfield University dance team earned national recognition with a fifth-place finish in the Division III Hip Hop category at the 2025 College Classic National Championship, held April 12-13 in Orlando, Florida. The two-day competition featured collegiate teams from across the country, with Linfield making its national debut at the event. The Wildcats earned a fifth place finish during the preliminary round on Saturday afternoon, with a score of 80.78. The team advanced to Sunday's finals, where they scored 82.66 and earned a top-five spot in a competitive field. "This was such an exciting opportunity for our team," said Head Coach Gina Regalado. "In the dance world, competition is where we get to show off our skills and hard work. Our program has grown in both numbers and talent over the last year. We're now attracting dancers with both the technique and passion to compete - and represent Linfield at a high level." Read the full announcement on Linfield News.

"The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" is a collaboration of Linfield's Theatre Program and Department of Music. There will be eight shows starting with the opening night at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25. All shows are in Marshall Theatre within Kenneth W. Ford Hall. Among the contributing cast and crew are students from across the university. Read the full announcement online.

Linfield's Kira Hawaaboo broke her own school record by 211 points while successfully repeating as heptathlon champion Tuesday at the Northwest Conference Multi-Event Championships at Stoffer Family Stadium. Read the full announcement at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/4/15/track-field-hawaaboo-breaks-record-wins-2nd-nwc-heptathlon-title.aspx

A pair of Linfield Wildcats were rewarded for standout seasons on the tennis court, as sophomore Kaitlynn Canubida and senior Emma Tuttle were both named to the All-Northwest Conference Second Team, announced in a release last week. Together, Canubida and Tuttle served as leaders for a young Wildcats squad, providing consistency and competitiveness against a deep NWC field. Their recognition as second-team selections marks the first all-conference honors for both players. Read the full announcement on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Linfield University softball's undefeated conference campaign is garnering national attention, with three Wildcats earning spots on the 2025 NFCA Division III Player and Pitcher of the Year Watchlist. Senior outfielder Claire Seats, senior second baseman Brynn Nelson and sophomore pitcher Tyler McNeley were all selected to the prestigious list, which recognizes standout student-athletes across 10 regions in Division III. Read the full announcement at GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Eight Linfield University swimmers earned College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District honors. Four men and four women is the max that can represent a single swimming team, and the Wildcats filled the roster. The 2024-25 Academic All-District Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the pool and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions - NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. For the women's team, Avery Campbell headlines the list with her third consecutive selection, while Talia Patterson and Kirsti Keppo make the list for the second time. Caley Haydu makes her first appearance after an impressive sophomore season. Keppo took home the Co-Swimmer of the Meet award after taking the top spot in the 500-yard freestyle and the 1,650-yard freestyle in the NWC Championships. She joined Campbell on the All-NWC first team for the 2024-25 season. For the men's team, Gavin Smith also makes his third appearance in his senior season while Rocco Velie appears for the second time. Nikola Jelusic and Carson Washburn receive Academic All-District honors for the first time in their careers. Smith, Washburn and Velie were selected to the All-NWC second team for various events. Keppo was selected to advance to the national ballot voting which will be announced later this month. Read the full announcement on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Two Linfield University chemistry students earned competitive scholarships last week from the Portland Local Section of the American Chemical Society, while the student club, the Linfield Society of Undergraduate Chemists (LSUC), earned national recognition. Kenni Proctor '26, a chemistry major from Tacoma, Washington, received the Anderson, Van Santen, Zeh Scholarship. The award includes $3,000 and an additional $1,000 to support travel to a national ACS conference in spring 2026. Proctor is the first Linfield student to receive the AVZ Scholarship since 2019. Allan Fernandez '27, a chemistry major from McMinnville, received the Dunne-Currie Scholarship, which includes a $3,500 cash award. He is the first Linfield student to earn this award since its inception in 2020. Both scholarships are open to students at colleges and universities in the Portland and Salem areas. "These honors show how Linfield students are rising to the top in chemistry, not just in Oregon but across the country," said Andrew Baggett, associate professor of chemistry. In addition to the scholarships, the LSUC - an official student chapter of the ACS - received the society's highest recognition. LSUC earned the "Outstanding Chapter" award for the 2023-24 academic year. The "Outstanding" honor of the Student Communities Award honors ACS student organizations for their campus programs and activities. Honors are based on a peer review by faculty members nationwide. During the 2023-24 academic year, the club's leadership included president Dan Khazaei '24 and vice president Abraham Solomon '24. Khazaei previously made headlines as Linfield's youngest-ever known graduate. Fernandez, representing the club, formally accepted the recognition at the March 2025 ACS national meeting in San Diego. Six Linfield students attended the national meeting to present their research to an international audience. Linfield University's Department of Chemistry is accredited by ACS. It offers a major and minor in chemistry, and provides coursework and research opportunities for chemistry students and for students enrolled in the interdisciplinary biochemistry and molecular biology major.

Linfield midfielder Gabby Crist scored a career-high 10 goals and added two assists as Linfield steamrolled Pacific Lutheran 20-1 on April 6 at East Field in Northwest Conference women's lacrosse action. Crist's performance is her second 10-goal match in as many days for the Wildcats. She helped lead the Wildcats to 22-7 victory over Puget Sound on April 5. This past weekend's performances place Crist second (tied with herself) for goals in a match in program history, only behind Anna Gorciak's 11 goals in March 2010. Read more about Linfield women's lacrosse on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Linfield University junior Kira Hawaaboo earned All-America honors for the second time in her career on Friday, placing fourth in the women's long jump at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at Golisano Training Center on the campus of Nazareth University. Hawaaboo's top effort of 19 feet, 2 inches came on her third attempt and fell fewer than two inches shy of surpassing her own school record of 19 4. Read the full story at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/3/14/track-field-hawaaboo-is-4th-in-long-jump-at-ncaa-indoors.aspx

The Linfield University Concert Choir made history on March 13, 2025. The ensemble shared the famed Carnegie Hall stage with choirs from Baylor University and Bridgewater State University. Together, the nearly 200-voice National Masterwork Chorus performed the world premiere of Andrea Ramsey's groundbreaking composition, "The Wilderness of You." Read the full story at https://news.linfield.edu/concert-choir-carnegie-hall/.

In a release published Monday afternoon, the NWC announced Linfield's Savannah Irwin as the Women's Lacrosse Student-Athlete of the Week recipient. This is the first such award of the junior's career. Read the full announcement at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/3/10/lacrosse-savannah-irwin-wins-first-student-athlete-of-the-week.aspx.

Linfield women's basketball players Miki Vermeulen and Allie Mead were named to the All-Northwest Conference first team is a release by the conference Wednesday afternoon. Mead and Vermeulen led the Wildcats in tying a program record 19 wins this season and ranked among the conference leaders in several statistical categories. Read the full announcement on GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Linfield sophomore Cade Collins etched his name into the Linfield record books, being named to the Northwest Conference honorable mention team in a release announced Tuesday afternoon. Collins played a crucial role for the Wildcats this season and scored 17 points in Linfield's biggest win of the season at Whitman. Read the full announcement at GoLinfieldWildcats.com.

Linfield University congratulates the 585 students who earned Dean's List honors during the fall 2024 academic term. The Dean's List identifies undergraduate students who earned a GPA at least equivalent to a cum laude (3.65) while taking at least graded 12 credits. It is computed following the posting of grades at the end of each semester. See the full list on Linfield News.

The Linfield University men's and women's wrestling teams performed strongly at the fourth annual Mat 'Cat Open, held Sunday inside Rutschman Field House. On the men's side, sophomore Max Vander Meide captured the individual championship at 133 pounds, Ethan Ensrud wrestled for the 174-pound title, and Lucien Lefebvre was the fourth-place finisher at 165. For the women's team, junior Klaira Flatt advanced through a crowded field of 173 combatants to place fifth overall, and fellow junior Abisua Perez Diaz scored her first collegiate victory.

Linfield University is pleased to release its newest list of graduates. Nearly 90 students completed their degree programs following the fall 2024 semester. The newest graduates represents students from Linfield's two physical campuses located in McMinnville and Portland, Oregon. Out of the graduating students, three earned a master's degree, two earned a Bachelor of Arts and the remaining 82 graduated with a Bachelor of Science. The majority of those graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing. Congratulations to Linfield's newest graduates!