CORVALLIS, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University’s Kiley McMurtrey and College of Idaho’s Alex Martin were named the U.S. Bank Scholar-Athletes of the Year, announced Tuesday by the Cascade Collegiate Conference office.
The CCC’s top academic honor comes after the conference’s athletic directors voted on a ballot of nominees.
McMurtrey, a senior libero on the Mountaineer volleyball team, boasts a 4.0 GPA and is a two-time Academic All-CCC and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American first team honoree. The Idaho Falls, Idaho native earned two separate degrees while at EOU: physical activity and health and elementary education. She plans to pursue a degree in speech pathology after graduating from EOU.
This past year, McMurtrey helped lead the Mounties to share a piece of the regular-season CCC championship and advance to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. She was the 2017 CCC Freshman of the Year and back-to-back CCC Libero of the Year, including winning the title outright this past season.
Other female scholar-athlete of the year nominees: Southern Oregon University’s Sydnee Kizziar (cross country/track), Multnomah University’s Shiloh Najjar (cross country), Northwest University’s Katarina Sanchez (soccer), College of Idaho’s Molly Vitale-Sullivan (cross country/track), Warner Pacific University’s Joie Lopez (soccer), Oregon Tech’s McKenna Armantrout (softball), Corban University’s Cassie Cunningham (volleyball), Northwest Christian University’s Kayla Olson (volleyball), and UBC’s Katherine Lucas (track and field).
Martin is a senior cross country and track dual athlete at the College of Idaho and boasts a 3.96 GPA. The senior biology major is a five-time CCC All-Academic selection, four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and two-time Academic All-District honoree.
The Bend, Ore. Native has earned five All-CCC selection: three in cross country and two in track and field. This past year, Martin led the Coyotes to take fifth at the NAIA Cross Country National Championship with a third-place individual finish to earn his third NAIA All-American honor.
Other male scholar-athlete of the year nominees: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Tyler (TJ) Hall (wrestling), Multnomah University’s Daniel Larabee (cross country), Northwest Christian University’s Kaleb Miles (soccer), Oregon Tech’s Seth Erickson (basketball), Corban University’s Yohanes Susanto (soccer), Arizona Christian University’s Cole Drescher (wrestling), Northwest University’s Riley Sine (cross country/track), Warner Pacific University’s Elias Soto (soccer), Eastern Oregon University’s Joshua Ebel (soccer), UBC’s Tyler Dozzi (track and field), Southern Oregon University’s Tate Hoffman (basketball), and Life Pacific University’s Isaac Kephard (wrestling).