CORVALLIS, Ore. – Two national champions have earned the Cascade Collegiate Conference’s highest individual honor, as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Kenneth Copley and Eastern Oregon University’s Lizzy Grandle have been selected as the 2025-26 CCC Male and Female Athletes of the Year by the conference’s athletic directors.
Kenneth Copley delivered one of the most dominant seasons in Embry-Riddle wrestling history, culminating in the first NAIA national championship of his career and cementing his status among the nation's elite heavyweights.
The junior from Sugar City, Idaho, opened the season with a perfect 4-0 performance at the ERAU Mile High Open, recording one technical fall and three pins while helping lead the Eagles to the team title. He followed with a standout showing at the Reno Tournament of Champions, one of the premier events in the western United States, advancing through the bracket with three consecutive pins before securing a third-place finish.
Copley's postseason run was nothing short of spectacular. At the Cascade Conference Championship, he captured his first career conference title, winning three hard-fought matches, including a sudden victory thriller in the championship bout. His dominant performance earned him Outstanding Wrestler of the Championship honors.
Carrying that momentum into the NAIA National Championships, Copley authored a memorable title run. After recording a technical fall in the quarterfinals and a narrow semifinal victory, he secured the national championship with a dramatic first-period pin in the title match, ending the bout with just six seconds remaining in the period. The victory earned him his first national title and third career NAIA All-America honor.
Copley finished the season with a 32-4 overall record, including 18 victories by pin, establishing himself as one of the most dominant wrestlers in the NAIA.
Other Male Nominees: University of British Columbia’s James Kerr, College of Idaho’s Keenan Blair, Corban University’s Jack Gladfelter, Eastern Oregon University’s Jace Naegler, Lewis-Clark State College’s John Lustig, Northwest University’s Josiah Jaquith, Southern Oregon University’s Mason Weisgerber
Lizzy Grandle capped one of the most inspiring seasons in Eastern Oregon track and field history by claiming the NAIA national championship in the heptathlon and establishing herself as one of the premier multi-event athletes in the country.
The senior from Molalla, Ore., captured the NAIA heptathlon national title with 5,207 points, completing a remarkable comeback after suffering a devastating knee injury the previous year that included tears to three ligaments and prematurely ended her season.
Grandle's dominance extended throughout the year as she was named the Cascade Conference Track & Field Athlete of the Year and USTFCCCA West Region Field Athlete of the Year. She also earned CCC Field Athlete of the Week honors three times and was recognized nationally as an NAIA Athlete of the Week.
At the Cascade Conference Championship, Grandle delivered one of the most impressive performances in meet history. She won the conference heptathlon title while setting both the Eastern Oregon program record and the CCC Championship meet record. During the competition, she posted the top marks in the high jump, shot put, 100-meter hurdles, 200 meters, and javelin, helping earn both CCC Most Valuable Performer of the Meet honors.
Her ability to overcome adversity while reaching the pinnacle of collegiate track and field made her season one of the most memorable in conference history. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Grandle has excelled in the classroom and remained actively involved in her community, exemplifying the complete student-athlete experience.
Other Female Nominees: University of British Columbia’s Carleen Murray, College of Idaho’s Kina Watts, Corban University’s Emma Bishoff, Lewis-Clark State College’s Madigan Kelly, Northwest University’s Kaitlyn Mickle, Southern Oregon University’s Lillian Gradillas-Flores