CORVALLIS, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University’s Hunter Sparks and Lewis-Clark State College’s Callie Stevens were named the 2023-24 Cascade Collegiate Conference Rize Laboratory Athletes of the Year, the conference announced. The award is the CCC’s top athletic honor selected by the conference’s athletic directors.
On his way to an individual National Title, Sparks helped lead the Mounties to a 9-3 overall record. The Roseburg, Ore., native finished the year with a 21-1 record, his only loss coming from an NCAA Division I opponent. In the National Championship match, he completed a takedown in the final 20 seconds for a 6-5 decision victory. He earned Easter’s first national champion in 55 years and is just the third in EOU history.
Following his remarkable final season, he clinched the title of the 2024 NAIA Outstanding Wrestler of the Year, marking his second straight All-American achievement. Alongside these national accolades, he secured the 2024 CCC Wrestler of the Year title and won in consecutive CCC Championships, earning him back-to-back CCC All-Conference honors. Beyond his athletic feats, he earned accolades as a CCC Academic All-Conference member and Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete for his educational accomplishments.
Other Male Nominees: University of British Columbia’s Andrew Davies (track and field), College of Idaho’s Samaje Morgan (basketball), Corban University’s Robert Swoboda (cross country), Lewis-Clark State College’s Carter Gordon (cross country/track and field), Multnomah’s Freider Fornasari-Banguera (track and field), Northwest University’s Alex Thiehofe (soccer), University of Providence’s KC Buday (wrestling), Southern Oregon University’s Adrian Villegas (soccer), Walla Walla University’s Andrew Kuljis (golf)
Stevens is the first player in conference history to be named a three-time Cascade Conference Player of the Year. She played in all 32 games for the Warriors, leading LC State in minutes per game (29.3), field goals made (193), 3-pointers made (90), free throws made (77), points scored (553) and points per game (17.3). She shot .454 from the floor, .354 from 3-point range, and .770 from the free throw line.
In her outstanding final season, the Puyallup, Wash., native helped the Warriors to a runner-up finish in the conference tournament. After being nationally ranked throughout the year, LC State hosted First and Second Rounds of the NAIA Tournament and the team finished the season with a 26-6 overall record. This year, Stevens earned four CCC Player of the week honors, was named First-Team All-Conference, and was recognized as an NAIA Second-Team All-American. She also received academic distinctions as a CCC Academic All-Conference member, Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and CSC Second-Team Academic All-American.
Other Female Nominees: University of British Columbia’s Kiana Gibson (track and field), College of Idaho’s Ellyse Tingelstad (cross country/track and field), Corban University’s Rylee Troutman (volleyball), Eastern Oregon University’s Kaylie Hoskins (softball), Northwest University’s Kelsey Cummins (volleyball), University of Providence’s Erin Hikiji (wrestling), Southern Oregon University’s Carolina Moreno (wrestling), Walla Walla University’s Chariah Daniels (basketball)