CORVALLIS, Ore. – After grabbing its first bid to the NAIA Championship Tournament by claiming the 2020 Cascade Collegiate Conference East Division Championship, College of Idaho grabbed CCC Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors to highlight the 2020 postseason conference awards, released Tuesday.
With the unusual nature of the 2020 season being played in the spring of 2021, the conference was divided into two divisions – East and West. Awards voted on for Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year for each division following the conclusion of the regular season. Coaches then voted on the overall Player of the Year based on the four top division honors.
C of I head coach Brian Smith was named the 2020 CCC Coach of the Year, while Kaya Evans earned the CCC Player of the Year and East Division Defensive Player of the Year. Oregon Tech – winners of the West Division title – saw Amy Morikawa pick up West Division Defensive Player of the Year and Mehana Ortiz earn West Division Offensive Player of the Year. Rocky Mountain College’s Halle Labert grabbed East Division Offensive Player of the Year.
The two champion teams each saw six players earn All-Cascade Collegiate Conference honors, with four first-team honors apiece. No. 11-ranked Eastern Oregon University – which grabbed an at-large bid to nationals – had five players earn postseason accolades.
Smith, who is in his 17
th year as Director of Soccer at the College of Idaho, led the Coyotes to a record of 8-3-2 overall, including a 6-1-1 mark in CCC action, to win the East Division. C of I averages 1.92 goals per game – ranking third in the CCC – and has picked up two top-25 wins and a victory over an NCAA Division II squad, while also earning a draw against NCAA Division I Idaho State early in the year.
Evans, a five-foot-four senior defender, has been a major component in the Yotes’ success. She has helped anchor a backline that holds opponents to a 1.23 goals against average, limiting their shots to 10.2 per game with a .492 shots on goal percentage. The Pocatello, Idaho, native has played in all 12 games for the College of Idaho, rarely getting subbed out.
Morikawa, a five-foot-seven defender, knows how to stop the opposition’s attack, while also getting into the offensive third herself. She has started all 12 games for the Owls and scored three goals from the backline, including two game-winners. The Fullerton, Calif., native helps anchor the Owl defense, limiting opponents to a .33 goals against average with just four goals conceded all year.
Ortiz, a five-foot-five freshman forward, has had a stellar collegiate debut. She worked her way into the starting lineup from the beginning and has scored eight goals (second in the CCC), while assisting on 11 others (first in the CCC). The Mililani, Hawaii, native boasts a .580 shots on goal percentage with three of her goals proving to be game-winners. Nationally, Ortiz ranks in multiple categories: fifth in assists per game (.920), 13
th in total assists (11), 32
nd in points per game (2.25), and 35
th in both shots per game (4.17) and shots on goal per game (2.42).
Labert, a five-foot-four freshman midfielder, also completed a strong rookie season. She scored six goals in the eight games she played for the Battlin’ Bears, which sits fourth in the conference, and averaged 0.75 goals per game – second in the CCC. The Billings, Mont., native netted two game-winning goals and ranks in the top-50 (46
th) in the NAIA for game-winning goals per game (.25).
HERE is the complete list of 2020 award winners and all-conference honorees. Honorable mention was awarded to players who had at least two votes from the CCC Women’s Soccer Head Coaches.