LA GRANDE, Ore. – After concluding record-setting careers in championship fashion, College of Idaho’s Hillary Holt and Southern Oregon’s Eric Avila have been named 2014 Cascade Conference Track and Field Athletes of the Year.
Holt, a senior from Meridian, Idaho, won four NAIA national titles this season, finishing first in the mile, 800m and distance medley relay at the NAIA Indoor Championships and winning the 1500m run at the NAIA Outdoor Championships. She also added All-America honors in the outdoor 800m run, finishing third.
She led College of Idaho to a second-consecutive CCC team title, as well as a third place finish at indoor nationals and a sixth place finish at the outdoor championships. At the 2014 CCC Championships, Holt won conference titles in the 800m run and the 1500m run, winning the longer distance for the fourth consecutive year.
Avila, a senior from Chula Vista, Calif., won the 1500m run at the NAIA Outdoor Championships and was a member of the record-setting NAIA Indoor distance medley relay teams. He concludes his Raider career as the CCC record holder in the 1500m run and school record holder in the 1500m and 5000m runs.
In addition to Avila’s record setting career on the track, he was the 2013 NAIA Cross Country national champion, establishing himself as one of the top collegiate distance runners in the country this season as he helped SOU clinch a second-straight conference title at the 2014 CCC Track and Field Championships.