CORVALLIS, Ore. – The 2026 Cascade Collegiate Conference Softball postseason awards were announced Monday by the conference office.
Eastern Oregon University’s Hope Burke was named the CCC McDonald’s Player of the Year, Presented by Urban Edge Network. Carleen Murray of British Columbia earned the Pitcher of the Year honors. Kina Watts of College of Idaho and Kristine Schmidt of Oregon Tech were selected as Co-Newcomers of the Year. Oregon Tech head coach Greg Stewart was tabbed as the Coach of the Year. Bushnell University received the Athletic Solutions Team Sportsmanship Award.
Burke, an outfielder from Springfield, Ore., had an outstanding season for the Mountaineers. In CCC play, the redshirt senior led the conference in slugging percentage (.797) while ranking second in on-base percentage (.534), home runs (7), and walks (14). Burke helped guide Eastern Oregon to another strong season, earning national recognition and a current No. 6 ranking, along with a runner-up finish in the regular season to secure the No. 2 seed in the CCC Tournament. The Mounties currently hold a 38-11 overall record.
Murray, a senior from White Rock, B.C., anchored British Columbia in the circle, leading the conference in ERA (1.38), wins (10), saves (2), and strikeouts (106) across 106.2 innings pitched in CCC action. A four-time CCC Pitcher of the Week selection, she played a key role in the Thunderbirds’ successful season.
Watts, a sophomore transfer from Utah Valley University, delivered a breakout season for College of Idaho, making an impact both at the plate and in the field. She led the CCC in batting average (.462), on-base percentage (.538), hits (36), and total bases (58), while ranking second in slugging percentage (.744) and runs scored (24). In the circle, she posted a 2.61 ERA in conference play and recorded a .929 fielding percentage.
Schmidt, a junior transfer from North Idaho College, made an immediate impact for Oregon Tech in the pitching rotation. She led the CCC with a 0.91 WHIP and ranked second in ERA (1.56) and strikeouts (103), while tying for the conference lead in wins (10). Schmidt earned three CCC Pitcher of the Week honors during the season.
Stewart, in his 22nd season leading Oregon Tech, guided the Owls to their fifth consecutive CCC Regular Season Championship while maintaining a spot atop the NAIA national rankings for much of the year. In conference play, Oregon Tech led the CCC in slugging percentage (.501), batting average (.349), hits (227), and on-base percentage (.426). The Owls hold a 41-8 overall record and have now advanced to the NAIA National Championship for the 12th consecutive season. This marks Stewart’s 12th career CCC Coach of the Year honor.
The full list of the 2026 CCC All-Conference teams can be found HERE.