Linfield University

Seventeen women across six Linfield programs received the Vern Marshall Award since its inception in 2002. Kate Walkup made history in 2022-23, becoming the first female swimmer to earn the award. The Vern Marshall Award is named after a former Linfield student-athlete and longtime college and professional sports referee. The honor recognizes the top male and female athletes who compete with the greatest tenacity. The Northwest Conference champion in the 400-yard individual medley and 200-yard backstroke, Walkup was also a member of four winning relay teams at the NWC Championships in February. A First Team All-NWC selection, the senior from Eugene led the 'Cats to their first team title in 30 years. She went on to earn an Academic All-District nod from the College Sports Communicators (CSC). Walkup defended her title in the 400 IM, winning with a time of 4:31.61 on Day 3 of the big championship meet. She returned on the final day of action to break the Linfield record in the 200 backstroke, cruising to a 2:04.11 finish. A constant Dean's List recipient and NWC scholar-athlete, Walkup recently graduated with a degree in journalism and media studies. In the spring semester, she served as the sports editor of the Linfield Review and helped manage the women's swim team's social media accounts. Walkup is a member of Linfield's chapter of Alpha Phi sorority.

Nineteen Linfield University student-athletes have been named to the 2022-23 All-Sportsmanship Team as announced by the Northwest Conference office. Each honoree was singled out by their teammates or coach for displaying excellent sportsmanship throughout the competitive season. The following Linfield Wildcats were honored with All-Sportsmanship Awards: Brett Joner, baseball Jack Stallard, men's basketball Peyton Bergevin, women's basketball Bradley Kiltow, men's cross country Anna Frazier, women's cross country Julien Sears, football Trevor Price, men's golf Tori Schuller, women's golf Grayce Miller, women's lacrosse Logan Clizer, men's soccer McCall Bennion, women's soccer Brynn Nelson, softball Casey Wong, men's swimming Kaylee Elsom, women's swimming Alexander Rosenquist, men's tennis Taryn Fujimori, women's tennis Ronan Krutzikowsky, men's track and field Siera Crawford, women's track and field Ellie Mead, volleyball

Travis Swanson is the 2022-23 recipient of the male Vern Marshall Award, recognizing student-athletes with the most tenacity on the playing surface

Linfield University recently announced the winners of the inaugural Lacroute Prize for Poety and Prose, recognizing entrants for the best students writing this year. The competition was organized by Linfield's Creative Writing Program. Finalists were chosen from nearly 60 submissions by the creative writing faculty, then sent to poet and fiction writer Genevieve DeGuzman, recipient of the 2022 Oregon Literary Fellowship, for final deliberations. The winner of the Lacroute Prize in Poetry was "Stage Whisper" by Summer Eves. DeGuzman's thoughts on the winning poem: "The prodigious world in "Stage Whisper" unravels like a runaway train and evokes a larger-than-life sensibility that astonished me. The speaker's odyssey aspires to poetry's epic proportions, not only in length but in detail-details of tender quotidian moments and brutal memories, and an anti-hero speaker filled with anger, despair, and longing." Finalists in the poetry category include: "A Prayer for Melanin" by Kalysa Dombrigues, "Earth: A Confession" by Zee Nace, "Loneliness Is a Barking Dog" by Zee Nace, "We Lay Together In The Way Only Corpses Can" by Zee Nace and "Smoke Bombs" by Sarah Reynolds. The winner of the Lacroute Prize in Prose was "Tree, Raven, Hillside, Fire" by Elana Gatien. DeGuzman's thoughts on the winning essay: "I couldn't pull away from the vivid, incantatory prose and metaphors in "Tree, Raven, Hillside, Fire." The narrator summons lush detail from the natural world to capture the struggle of acceptance and grappling with one's gender identity. In the vacuum of the burn scar comes life. Runner-up for the prose category was "Under the Lekumi Tree" by Colin Bellairs. Finalists were "To Leave" by Summer Eves and "Pesha" by Zee Nace. All finalist and winning entries were published in the spring issue of Camas: A Journal of Art & Literature. Winners each received $500, thanks to the support from the Lacroute Initiative for Advancing the Liberal Arts. More information about Linfield's Creative Writing Program can be found online at https://www.linfield.edu/programs/creative-writing/index.html.

Nearly 60 Linfield University students performed at the 50th annual Lu'au and Ho'ike held in McMinnville, Oregon, April 29, 2023. This beloved Linfield tradition was the result of months of work and dance practice from members of Hui O Lokahi student club and consisted of a plate lunch supplied by Ohana Hawaiian Cafe of Portland and the Ho'ike performances. This year's theme was "Ma'ohi Nui," celebrating multiple cultures and people of the Pacific. The dances took the crowd of nearly 1,000 to the islands of Oahu, Tahiti, New Zealand, Molokai and Lanai, among others. Linfield students were joined by guests from Hawaii. Napunui Gabriel from Waialua, Oahu, performed a fire knife dance, and Makani Tabura, host of "Culturized" podcast and television show, served as the event emcee. Dances were taught by kumus Cruz Braun (sophomore, Kahului, HI), Taetum Lynn Kalani (sophomore, Puuloa, HI), Citlalli Cruz (senior, Gresham, OR), Kayley Dombrigues (sophomore, Waimea, HI) and Mako Minoda (senior, Kailua-Kona, HI). Additional photos of the event can be downloaded at: https://linfield.photoshelter.com/galleries/G0000n23_NgoZS50/Linfield-50th-Luau

Owen Hand, a junior at Linfield University, was named the recipient of the 2023 Financial Executives International (FEI) competitive scholarship from the organization's Portland chapter. The award is given in recognition of a student's achievements and their potential to contribute to the profession of accounting and finance in the future. The chapter gives out only six scholarships each year, five of which are earmarked for students attending one of Oregon's larger public universities. The sixth is awarded to a student at one of the many other colleges and universities in Oregon and southwest Washington. Hand, who is majoring in finance, earned that sixth. "I was kind of drawn to finance because I love investing and the subject really interests me," he said. "I'm interested in both the stock market and helping people. If I can somehow combine the two, whether that's as an advisor or working for a wealth management firm to help people make money, I think that would be really rewarding." Madeleine Brady Romero, an associate professor in Linfield's School of Business, noticed his passion for the subject and encouraged him to apply for the scholarship. "I am so excited for Owen," Romero said. "It is quite an honor and coup for a Linfield student to get the award, and he is incredibly deserving because of his leadership activities and academic achievements." Hand and Romero attended FEI's award ceremony on April 20, 2023, in Portland, where Hand and the other five scholarships were honored. The Portland chapter of FEI has over 190 senior-level financial executives as members, providing networking opportunities and development sessions throughout the year. "A big thanks to Professor Romero for making this happen. This scholarship will make a big impact on my life and my ability to continue to go to school," Owen said. "And thank you to FEI for making this scholarship possible, it's really meaningful."

Linfield University's softball team (41-4) continued its dominance on the diamond, by winning the Northwest Conference title April 23 and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. On April 27, the Northwest Conference announced its 2023 All-NWC Softball team with nine Wildcat student-athletes making the list. Star players Katie Phillips and Tayah Kelley repeated as the NWC Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, becoming the first duo in conference history to accomplish the feat. Linfield had an all-conference selection at every position on the field, including five players who earned First Team All-NWC honors. Joining Phillips and Kelley were sophomore first baseman Kaili Saathoff, graduate student right fielder Baily Paul and sophomore center fielder Claire Seats. Earning Second Team All-NWC nods were sophomore catcher Ashley Sutton, sophomore second baseman Brynn Nelson, freshman third baseman Cydney Hess and graduate student shortstop Katrina Johns. In addition to the student-athlete honors, head coach Jackson Vaughan was named the NWC Coach of the Year for the 13th time in his illustrious 22-year head coaching career. Vaughan was selected by his peers as the Coach of the Year after leading Linfield to its fifth 40-win season and first since 2012, the year the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Division III championship game. The 'Cats claimed the program's 18th NWC regular-season title with a near-perfect 27-1 record, matching the best conference mark in school history. The Wildcat softball team is currently ranked No. 4 in nation in the latest NFCA Top 25. Regionals for the NCAA Division III Championships take place May 18-20. The 'Cats await the NCAA Selection Show on May 15 to find out who and where they will be playing.

A group of Linfield University students, from various majors and class years, were honored at the Region VII Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) held February in Spokane, Washington. The annual event hosts theatre productions, workshops and competitions for colleges and universities in a nine-state region. Eleven Linfield students attended the 2023 event, the first in-person event since 2020, with many of them receiving awards for skills in various areas. Sydney Monroe, a sophomore majoring theatre arts and journalism and media studies, received the KCACTF Region VII Student Choice Award for her publicity work on "Eco-Tales: Student-Adapted Fairy Tales." Monroe's designs included original artwork, fonts, poster designs and social media blasts. Hannah Jones, a first-year student majoring in theatre arts and wine studies, won first place in the Improv Olympics with her four-person team, and she took home the "Golden Chicken" trophy for her comedic work. After a highly competitive audition process, Jones also was cast in one of the Ten-Minute Plays performed during the festival, titled "Our Dying Stars." Junior Nikos Rictor joined Linfield theatre staff members Laurel Peterson and Jesse Klug on the Linfield Technical Theatre team. The three-member squad competed in the Tech Olympics, eventually earning first place. Rictor, a theatre arts and education double major, was also elected to a one-year term on the region's Representation, Equity, Diversity Initiative Board, where they will help create workshops, policies and initiatives to serve the entire region. Tanner Coulter, a senior accounting major, entered the Design/Technology/Management Stage Management competition, where his work on the fall 2022 Linfield production of the musical "Firebringer" was displayed. His oral presentation, and subsequent interview, led him to receive a paid internship offer this summer to work with the Santa Fe Opera. Other students who participated at the regional KCACTF event included seniors Ellie Gossett, and Helika Campbell; junior Alexandra Newberger; sophomore MJ Rinehart; and first-year students Madeline Chandler, Irving Flores-Castro, Kaitlin Harwood and Hannah Jones. More information about Linfield's Theatre Program can be found online at linfield.edu/tca.

Three members of the Linfield University baseball team (13-24, 8-16 NWC) were named honorable mentions on the 2023 All-Northwest Conference Baseball Team, released Friday. Junior shortstop Jake Hoskins, sophomore catcher Tyler Marr and first-year pitcher Casey Struckmeier all made their debuts on the All-Conference Team. Hoskins transferred to Linfield after two standout seasons at Linn-Benton Community College. Marr spent time at the junior varsity level as a freshman last year while Struckmeier was still enrolled at Columbia River High School in Vancouver, Washington. Hoskins is one of just two players who appeared in every game for Linfield, starting in 36 of the Wildcats' 37 games. The Hillsboro native batted .301 with 46 hits, a team-leading 28 runs and 22 RBI. He finished tied for the team lead with six home runs. Catcher was the deepest position for Linfield heading into the season, but Marr separated himself from the rest to become the team's No. 1 option behind the plate. The Great Falls, Montana, product batted .343 with a .411 on-base percentage and a .455 slugging percentage. He led the 'Cats with 11 doubles and posted a .986 fielding percentage. Struckmeier appeared in 10 games and started in eight in his breakout first season in purple and cardinal. He won two games on the mound to go with 25 strikeouts and a 3.32 ERA. Struckmeier threw five or more innings five times, ending the season with a scoreless outing in 6 1/3 innings against Willamette on April 15 at Roy Helser Field. Read the full NWC release. More information on the Linfield baseball team is at: https://golinfieldwildcats.com/sports/baseball

Mackenzie Kulick, a sophomore from The Woodlands, Texas, was recently recognized by the Broadcast Educators Association's Festival of Media Arts for her podcast "Factual Nonsense." As part of its Student Audio Competition, Kulick won third place in the "Specialty Program and Podcasts" category. The national competition features entries from universities of all sizes. Kulick is pursuing a major in marketing and double minor in media studies and wine studies at Linfield University. She is also a member of the Wildcat women's lacrosse team and the Linfield Presidential Impact Internship Program. She created the podcast as part of JAMS 112: Electronic Media Practices class. "Throughout this class I watched myself evolve behind the mic," she said. "My inspiration for Factual Nonsense stems from my daily life. It seems that every time I am having dinner with a friend, I spout off an odd fact that leaves people shocked and wanting more. Everyone wonders where I find all these facts, and to be honest, they are everywhere, people just have to look for them." Kulick entered an episode titled "Speak of the Devil," which educates listeners how the devil got its horns. "I feel this episode has the shock factor of an interesting fact and showcases my editing skills with all the included sound effects," she said. And though she created the podcast as a class project, Kulick plans to continue to produce episodes through the Linfield Pawdcast Network, a student-run organization. "I entered the class thinking that I will learn some cool skills, but nothing more," she said. "It's hard to believe where I started in my first episode and where I am now." With this award, Kulick joins a growing list of Linfield students who have been recognized nationally for their excellence in podcasting. In 2021, Kendall Harrison '21 and Nathaly Sanchez '21 received honorable mentions in the NPR Podcast Challenge, and Joe Stuart '20 won first place in the Specialty Program and Podcasts category and the Radio Sports Story/Feature category at the 2021 Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts. Listen to Kulick's podcast "Factual Nonsense" and her award-winning episode at https://soundcloud.com/mackenzie-480283378/factual-nonsense-episode-3-speak-of-the-devil.

Linfield University led all Northwest Conference (NWC) institutions with a combined eight selections to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) 2022-23 Academic All-District Swimming Teams. The Wildcats are the only program in the NWC with four honorees on both the men's and women's teams. Pacific Lutheran boasted seven Academic All-District student-athletes, including four women and three men. Willamette saw six players earn honors while Whitworth had four to round out the NWC's 25 total selections. Representing the Linfield women both in the pool and in the classroom are seniors Alexis Matthiesen-Johnson (exercise science) and Kate Walkup (journalism and media studies), junior Emma Campbell (political science/mathematics) and sophomore Avery Campbell (undecided). Walkup won individual titles in the 400-yard IM and 200-yard backstroke at the NWC Championships, leading the Wildcat women to their first league championship in 30 years. Avery Campbell placed first in the 100 backstroke. Both Walkup and Campbell were named members of the All-NWC First Team. The men's side features seniors Nathan Herde (exercise science) and Casey Wong (computer science), junior Alex Landry (physics) and sophomore Gavin Smith (applied physics). Smith won the 1,650-yard freestyle at the NWC Championships on his way to earning a First Team nod on the All-NWC Team. The 2022-23 CSC Academic All-District Team recognizes student-athletes for their combined efforts in both athletics and academics. The honorees will advance to the Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-Americans will be announced by the CSC in late March.

Sixteen student members of the Linfield University Latinx Adelante (LULA), a student organization that seeks to educate and share awareness about cultural diversity in South and Central America, attended the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) Feb. 16-19, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. This national event seeks to promote education and leadership development and empower Latinos and others through civic engagement and research. The USHLI is a member of the Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibility and the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. "This conference is a reminder that representation matters. It's an invaluable opportunity for Latinx students to learn from policy makers, community organizers, industry leaders, activists, educators and changemakers who look like them, who speak the language and who know the struggle," said Abby Thomas, director of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Linfield. "Students get to see themselves in positions of power and learn how they use this to empower others. The USHLI is a reminder of the incredible impact higher education can have on your family, your community and beyond." During the conference, students attended various workshops and forums on topics that included leadership development, career opportunities, power and influence, and upward mobility. Featured speakers and panelists were Melody Gonzales, executive director for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics; Sol A. Ortega, senior advisor for public engagement for the White House Office of Public Engagement; Celeste Carrasco, director of public affairs from AT&T, Inc.; Ambassador Reyna Torres Mendivil, the consul general of Mexico in Chicago; and Robert Santos, director of the U.S. Census Bureau. Leading up to the USHLI, students participated in professional development workshops organized by Linfield's Office of Career Development and hosted fundraising events to pay for the cost of the trip. More information on LULA is online at https://www.linfield.edu/life-at-linfield/inclusion/campus-engagement/lula.html.

Trey Bryant, a sophomore guard on the Linfield University men's basketball team, was recognized as a First Team selection to the 2022-23 All-Northwest Conference Team, released Tuesday. During the season, the Springfield product knocked down 45.5 percent of his shots, ranking fourth in the NWC in scoring with 15.2 points per game while also ranking second with 6.8 rebounds per game. His 4.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game also finished in the top three of the conference rankings. Bryant scored in double figures 21 times in 25 games and put up 20 or more points on seven occasions. He registered six double-doubles, including his second career triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists against Willamette on Jan. 3. Although the 'Cats couldn't secure a spot in the NWC Tournament, Bryant finished the season strong with a career-high 30 points to go with 10 rebounds and six assists on the road against top-seeded Whitman on Feb. 18. He reached another milestone in a 15-rebound performance at Willamette on Jan. 31. Bryant's full bio is available at https://golinfieldwildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/trey-bryant/16846.

Junior Sarah Forester has been a force so far for the Linfield University Wildcats in both No. 3 singles and doubles. On Monday, she was named the Northwest Conference Women's Tennis Student-Athlete of the Week. Forester led Linfield to a 2-0 week in California. The 'Cats opened the road trip with a convincing 8-1 win at Whittier on Wednesday. Their match at Redlands on Saturday was canceled due to rain, but the 'Cats came back on Sunday to edge out Occidental by a score of 5-4. The Corvallis native went 2-0 in singles and won both of her doubles matches with teammate Alexis Garner. Against Whittier, Forester won No. 3 singles with a 7-6 tiebreaker, beating the Poets' Maci Davis by scores of 6-0 and 7-6. She and Garner took down Jasmine Saunders and Emily List, 8-6, in No. 3 doubles. It was a similar story for Forester against Occidental. She beat the Tigers' Alexis Matabuena, 6-1, 6-4, in No. 3 singles before she and Garner won No. 3 doubles over Emma Silber and Lillian Lin with a score of 8-5. Forester is 3-1 on the season in both singles and doubles. Her only losses came to Division I Portland State. The 'Cats (3-1) open the NWC portion of their schedule this weekend, hosting Willamette on Saturday before playing at George Fox on Sunday. Both matches will start at 10 a.m.

Linfield University seniors Paige LaFountain (exercise science), Kaylee Schow (mathematics) and Jordan Worthington (marketing/journalism and media studies) and junior Peyton Bergevin (elementary education) all earned selection to the 2022-23 College Sports Communicators (CSC) NCAA Division III Academic All-District Team, released Tuesday. A total of 15 women's basketball players representing four NWC institutions were honored. Linfield matched Whitworth and Willamette with its four selections. Pacific Lutheran rounded out the group with three honorees. The 2022-23 CSC Academic All-District Team recognizes student-athletes for their combined efforts in both athletics and academics. The honorees will advance to the Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-Americans will be announced by the CSC in March. Learn more at golinfieldwildcats.com.

Emily Sullenger became the first women's wrestler in Linfield University history to qualify for the national championship tournament on Sunday, finishing as runner-up in the nine-team National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship Region V tournament hosted by Colorado Mesa University. Shortly thereafter, Ayana Medina became the second Wildcat to make nationals, coming from behind in a dramatic winner-take-all "true fourth place" match to claim her spot. The two Wildcats will represent Linfield at the NCWWC National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 3-4.

Three Linfield University students received the U.S. Department of State's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which funds study-abroad programs. Billie Melchor '25, a nursing student; Divenson Willis '24, a sport management major; and history and international relations major Emma Brissey '23 were awarded up to $5,000 for their January Term studies. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program began in 2001 and has since sent more than 36,000 students to study or intern in 155 different countries around the globe. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and supported by the Institute of International Education, provides undergraduate students with the chance to learn skills critical to the future of national security and economic prosperity.

Linfield University congratulates the 575 students who earned Dean's List honors during the fall 2022 academic term. The Dean's List identifies undergraduate students who have earned a term GPA at least equivalent to a cum laude (at least 3.650 GPA) for a given semester. It is computed following the posting of grades at the end of each semester. Congratulations to these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement. See the full list at https://inside.linfield.edu/academic-affairs/deans-list.html.

Emma Inge and Meghan Mullaly, two students at Linfield University, won a design contest from Premier Press, a Portland-based creative production firm. The company gives wrapping paper to its clients each year, and this winter, it held a contest open to college and university students to create the designs. More than 20 submissions from throughout the region were received. Inge and Mullaly's two-sided designs were selected among the top four designs and printed for distribution. The pair sold rolls of their wrapping paper at Linfield's inaugural Maker's Market in December, each selling out of the stock on hand. Both students are seniors double majoring in digital art and journalism and media studies. Inge is from Seattle, Washington, and Mulally is from Seward, Alaska. The other two creators of winning designs were Aleah Jones of North Idaho College and Kayla Dartez and Grey Sawger of Portland Community College. See all the designs at https://www.premierpress.com/project/2022-holiday-wrapping-paper/.

Linfield University's Team Medalia tied for second place in this year's Intercollegiate Wine Business Invitational, a competition where students build a virtual wine business, including articulating the mission, vision and goals; sales and marketing strategies; competitive analysis; cost-of-goods calculations; operations; and even designing wine labels for their winery. The team, organized through Linfield's Evenstad Center for Wine Education, was composed of five seniors. Team roster: Lindsey Burns '23, Alex Burkeen '23, Emma Libby '23, Devin Thacker '23 and Megan Stanek '23. "I'm amazed at how quickly the team came together, and so proud of what the students accomplished," said Wine Studies Department Coordinator Toni Ketrenos. "Each of them has so many other activities and classes, but they put in the work to produce a winning entry with minimal guidance from Professor Christopher Dahlvig and me. I'm impressed with their effort!" Learn more about Linfield's wine studies program at linfield.edu/wine.

Linfield University is proud to recognize its newest alumni. A total of 98 students earned their degrees from Linfield University following the fall 2022 semester. The students earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the Linfield University-Good Samaritan School of Nursing participated in the Pinning Ceremony in December 2022. All students earning their degrees this semester will be honored at the 2023 Commencement in May. More information is at linfield.edu.

The 18th annual D3football.com All-Region Teams have been announced, and seven players from the nationally-ranked Linfield Wildcats made the list. Highlighting the Wildcats with First Team All-Region 6 honors are graduate student center Matt Metcalf, senior offensive tackle Taylor Adams, sophomore returner Maclain Stoneking and junior linebacker Blake Rybar. Senior guard Julien Sears landed on the All-Region 6 Second Team while sophomore quarterback Blake Eaton and senior defensive tackle Chase Lydig were picked as third-teamers.

Four Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing students have won prestigious Nurse Corps Scholarships, a federal program that pays for tuition and fees in full as well as living expenses. The program is designed to bring high levels of care to underserved communities, and students commit to working at a Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) for two years after graduation. Recipients: Collin Hoyt of Holtville, Calif. (expected graduation June '23); Sarah Miller of Vancouver, Wash. and the Big Island of Hawaii (expected graduation June '23); Ellie Rogge of West Bend, Wis. (expected graduation June '23); Monica Salazar of Hillsboro, Ore. and Santa Rosa, Guatemala (expected graduation Dec. '23). "In a normal year, we're proud when one Linfield School of Nursing student received a Nurse Corps scholarship - it's a very competitive and prestigious award," said School of Nursing Dean Paul Smith. "When four students are selected, it's a true honor to our student body, because it shows not only current excellence but also a commitment to bring the highest level of care to the communities who need it most upon graduation."

This weekend, Linfield University ended a remarkable 10-1 football season, but for some Wildcat student-athletes, success was also found in the classroom. Six student-athletes earned selection to the 2022 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District Football Team, announced last week. Seniors Isaac Hoidal and Brady Wessel, juniors Logan Carr, Chase Michalczik and Jacob Slifka and sophomore Gavin Dalziel are among 40 student-athletes from six Northwest Conference institutions selected to the Academic All-District Team. Puget Sound, Whitworth and Willamette all led the conference with eight honorees while George Fox and Pacific Lutheran had five apiece. The 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Football Teams recognize student-athletes for their success on the field and in the classroom. Linfield's honorees will advance for consideration on the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-America Teams will be announced in December.

Paige Richards and Kara Thomas were pivotal pieces on the court in Linfield University's improved 2022 season, but the duo also performed well in the classroom, earning their ways to the 2022 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District Women's Volleyball Team, released Tuesday. Richards, an exercise science major, and Thomas, a public health major, were among 19 student-athletes selected from the Northwest Conference. Pacific Lutheran, Puget Sound, Whitworth and Willamette all had four Academic All-District honorees while Pacific rounded out the conference with one selection. The sophomore Richards finished second on the team with 256 digs, averaging 3.51 digs per set. She appeared in 20 matches and 73 sets, totaling 47 assists and 17 service aces. A senior right-side hitter, Thomas eclipsed the century mark in kills, notching 111 and averaging 1.46 per set. She added eight assists, 46 digs and 42 blocks, which ranked third on the team. The 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Women's Volleyball Teams recognize student-athletes for their success in both athletics and academics. Linfield's honorees will advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-Americans will be announced in December.

Showing excellency on the pitch and in the classroom, six members of the Linfield University women's soccer team earned their ways to the 2022 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District Women's Soccer Team, announced Tuesday. Seniors McCall Bennion, Laney Green and Megan Sweeney, juniors Ellie Friedrichsen and Riley Omonaka and sophomore Emily Hyde were all acknowledged by CSC, formally known as the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Women's Soccer Teams recognize student-athletes for their success on the field and in the classroom. Linfield's six honorees will advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-Americans will be announced in December.

Linfield University earned a seat at the table in 2022 as juniors Angel Hernandez and Sid Kosaris were named to the All-Northwest Conference Men's Soccer Team, released Wednesday. Both players received the first all-conference honor of their careers. Hernandez spearheaded the Linfield backline on his way to being selected to the All-NWC Second Team. The Wildcats' leader on the attack, Kosaris was picked as an honorable mention. Linfield went 5-13-1 overall with a 4-9-1 record in NWC play to place sixth in the standings with 13 points, four points back of Whitworth for fifth place. The team's season was highlighted by three consecutive 1-0 shutouts against George Fox, Pacific and Whitman.

Three student-athletes from Linfield University earned recognition on the All-Northwest Conference Women's Soccer Team, announced last week. Senior Laney Green leads the Linfield trio with a Second Team All-NWC nod while freshmen Janae Lewis and Bella Hanna were named honorable mentions. Green was selected as an honorable mention as a junior in 2021. Linfield went 5-8-7 overall with a 3-7-6 mark in NWC play. The Wildcats finished in sixth place with 15 points, four points back of the No. 5 spot in the NWC standings.

One of the biggest names in Linfield volleyball in the last decade, Raelynn Hammock finished her senior campaign as a Second Team All-Northwest Conference selection, released Monday. An honorable mention last season, Hammock is the first player in program history to earn second-team honors since libero Kayla Magbaleta in 2017. The outside hitter from Oakridge, Oregon, finished the season ranked No. 2 in the NWC with 325 kills and 3.69 kills per set. Her kills per set just cracked the Division III top 50. Hammock was also second in the conference with 383 points and 4.35 points per set while leading the league with 44 service aces, a mark that's tied for sixth in Linfield's single-season record book.

Division III student-athletes tackle a well-rounded college experience that emphasizes academic programs and earning a degree. Excelling in both academics and athletics isn't easy, but two Linfield University men's soccer players did just that as Logan Clizer and Cameron Gaines were named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators NCAA Division III Academic All-District Men's Soccer Team, announced Tuesday. Clizer and Gaines were among 19 student-athletes honored from the Northwest Conference. The 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Men's Soccer Teams recognize student-athletes for their success on the field and in the classroom. The honorees will advance for consideration on the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Academic All-America honorees will be announced in December.