02.01.2012 - Oregon Tech Preseason Favorite in the Cascade Conference
PORTLAND, Ore. – Defending Cascade Collegiate Conference and NAIA champion Oregon Tech is the choice to win the 2012 CCC softball crown, according a preseason poll of the conference’s seven head coaches.
The Owls, who begin the season ranked first nationally in the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll, open their season Feb. 10 at the Simpson Invitational in Redding, Calif.
Oregon Tech went 42-13 overall last season, and became the first team in the Cascade Collegiate Conference to win the national championship in the 31-year history of the event. OIT earned five first-place votes and totaled 35 points in the poll.
Corban was picked to finish second, receiving two first place votes, and was followed by Concordia, College of Idaho, Southern Oregon, Northwest Christian and Eastern Oregon.
Oregon Tech returns three All-CCC players among its six returning starters from 2011. The Owls are led by last year’s conference Coach of the Year, Greg Stewart, who enters his eighth year as head coach. All-CCC pitcher Taylor Schmidt returns after going 17-4 a year ago. Ashleigh Larson comes back after recording 66 RBI last season, which was 11th in the NAIA. Shawna Collins also brings back her team-leading batting average of .358.
2012 CCC Preseason Poll
| Rk. | Team | Points | 2011 Overall | 2011 CCC |
| 1 | Oregon Tech (5) | 35 | 42-13 | 19-5 |
| 2 | Corban (2) | 32 | 25-17 | 16-8 |
| 3 | Concordia | 24 | 22-15 | 15-9 |
| 4 | College of Idaho | 23 | 24-16 | 14-10 |
| 5 | Southern Oregon | 15 | 18-19 | 14-10 |
| 6 | Northwest Christian | 10 | 10-28 | 4-20 |
| 7 | Eastern Oregon | 8 | 8-32 | 2-22 |
01.19.2012 - Softball Championship Banner Unveiling January 21st
The official unveiling of the 2011 NAIA Championship Banner for Oregon Tech’s softball team will take place Saturday, Jan. 21
st, at Danny Miles Court. The Owls captured their first-ever softball championship May 25
th, with a 1-0 victory over Cal Baptist University.
The banner is scheduled to be unveiled at halftime of the men’s basketball game between Oregon Tech and College of Idaho.
The evening will also feature Oregon Tech’s Third Annual “Pink Out” event. To support cancer awareness, and the Martha Anne Dow Endowed Scholarship, both the women’s and men’s teams will wear pink uniforms, while the first 2,000 fans will receive a free pink Oregon Tech t-shirt at the door.
01.17.2012 - 2011 Tech Softball Team Earns George Pasero Team of the Year Award
The 2011 Oregon Tech softball team will become the third to receive the George Pasero Team of the Year Award.  |
PORTLAND, Ore. - Joining Oregon Tech Ad Rutschman Small-College Athete of the Year Award finalists - Bryant Sentman (basketball, track and field), Jackie Imhof (softball) and Joseph Foster (basketball), the 2011 Oregon Tech softball team earned the George Pasero Team of the Year Award and will be honored at the Oregon Sports Award in February.
The 2011 national championship softball team will be the third Oregon Tech team honored, joining the 2004 and 2008 men’s basketball teams after coming off national championships in those seasons.
In 2011 Oregon Tech won the regular season championship after finishing with a 19-5 record in CCC action. The title gave the Owls the right to host the CCC conference tournament which the Owls also won. Oregon Tech then moved on to the 2011 NAIA national tournament in Gulf Shores, Ala. where the Owls made history. Tech, playing their finest softball of the year, rolled to its first-ever NAIA Softball National Championship with a 1-0 shutout of top-ranked California Baptist on May 25. The Owls went 42-13 overall and became the first team in the Cascade Collegiate Conference to win the national championship in the 31-year history of the event.
The 2011 Owl softball team members to be honored are; Amber Knight (Milton-Freewater,Ore.), Kayde Schaefer (Beaverton, Ore.), Sierra Patzke (Klamath Falls, Ore.) Elise Goodell (Klamath Falls, Ore.), Jackie Imhof (Portland, Ore.), Jess Plummer, (Eugene, Ore.), Andria Wheatley (Springfield, Ore.), Sara Coates (Salem, Ore.), Taylor Schmidt (Medford, Ore.), Danielle Sayres (Milwaukie, Ore.), Ashleigh Larson (Medford, Ore.), Ali Edwards (Klamath Falls, Ore.), Shauna Collins (Roseburg, Ore.), Bree Larson (Yamhill, Ore.), Janelle Cromie (Tualatin, Ore.), Brittany Cherry (Pasco, Wash.), Josie Campbell (Portola, Calif.), Chauntae Sublet (McMinnville, Ore.), assistant coaches Ryson Mauricio and Bill Fagan and Head Coach Greg Stewart.
The George Pasero Award is one of many awards that will be presented at the 2011 Oregon Sports Awards. The OSA annually honors the state’s top athletes, coaches and teams. A statewide media panel voted on the various awards. Emmy award-winning sportscaster Ahmad Rashad will be the master of ceremonies, and numerous sports celebrities will present the various awards.
The 2011 Oregon Sports Awards are hosted by Nike and State partners JELD-WEN, the Portland Timbers and the Portland Trail Blazers; and by Champion partners Delta Air Lines, the Portland Winterhawks and SportsOne.