CORVALLIS, Ore. – After earning national championships with their teams, College of Idaho’s Charles Elzie and Southern Oregon University’s Riley Donovan were named the 2022-23 Cascade Collegiate Conference Rize Laboratory Athletes of the Year. The award is the CCC’s top athletic honor selected by the conference’s athletic directors.
Elzie helped lead the Coyotes to a 36-1 overall record to conclude their season as the 2022-23 NAIA Men’s Basketball Champions. He averaged 10.5 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in 22.7 minutes of action per contest. The junior scored in double figures in 20 of 37 games, including five of the last six games of the season. He reached a career-high 25 points in the NAIA Opening Round First Round game against LSU Shreveport.
The Tacoma, Wash., native was awarded throughout the year for his dominant presence on the court. He received the CCC Defensive Player of the Year honor as the Coyotes held opponents to 63.7 points per game. After the Championship, Elzie was named the NAIA Chuck Taylor MVP and to the All-Tournament Team.
“Charles positively impacts everyone he encounters and has built a legacy that will last a lifetime. I am beyond proud of his growth and leadership, which we will reference in our program for years to come. However, Charles was much more than an athlete. He thrived in the classroom, engaged with his fellow peers, and is loved by the entire Yote community. Charles is a true reflection of what loyalty, trust, and hard work can accomplish,” College of Idaho’s head men’s basketball coach Colby Blaine stated.
Other male nominees included: University of British Columbia’s Rowan Hamilton (Track and Field), Bushnell University’s Spencer Hoffman (Basketball), Corban University’s David Rubio (Wrestling), Eastern Oregon University’s Phillip Malatare (Basketball), Lewis-Clark State College’s Jorgen Lie Viken (Golf), Menlo College’s Gulomjon Abdullaev (Wrestling), Multnomah University’s Donte Sol (Track and Field), Northwest University’s Micah Murphy (Cross Country/Track and Field), University of Providence’s KC Buday (Wrestling), Southern Oregon University’s Isaac Fernandez (Cross Country/Track and Field), and Walla Walla University’s Andrew Vaughan (Basketball).
Donovan helped the Raiders finish their season as the 2023 NAIA Softball Champions. She led the NAIA in home runs (23), RBIs (94), total bases (169), and slugging percentage (.977). She also ranked second in batting average (.491) and third in on-base percentage (.570). The senior broke the NAIA World Series record for RBIs in a tournament with 11, homering in each of the Raider's last three games, including a grand slam in the title game victory over Oregon Tech last week.
This season, the Half Moon Bay, Calif., native received multiple CCC and NAIA Player of the Week honors for her outstanding performance on the field. She also was named CCC First Team All-Conference along with NAIA First Team All-American and All-Tournament Team. Donovan ended a historic career at SOU as a two-time national champion with a 154-32 record.
“Riley is one of the strongest competitors I have ever gotten to coach. She plays the game with an un-matched combination of humility, passion, and confidence. The standard she has set for SOU Softball and the CCC speaks for itself as she has gained the respect of her teammates, coaches, fans, and opponents throughout her career,” said Southern Oregon's head softball Coach Jessica Pistole.
Other female nominees included: University of British Columbia’s Olivia Lundman (Cross Country/Track and Field), Bushnell University’s Makenna Northern (Volleyball), College of Idaho’s Sage Martin (Cross Country/Track and Field), Corban University’s Riley Troutman (Volleyball), Eastern Oregon University’s Maggie Ledbetter (Track and Field), Lewis-Clark State College’s Jennah Carpenter (Track and Field), Menlo College’s Alana Vivas (Wrestling), Northwest University’s Abigail Broussard (Volleyball), University of Providence’s Ira Navarro (Wrestling), and Walla Walla University’s Andrew Vaughan (Basketball).
