CORVALLIS, Ore. – Southern Oregon University’s Jessica Pistole was named the 2023 Cascade Collegiate Conference Coach of Character, announced Wednesday by the conference office.
Coaches who represent the core values of the NAIA – Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership – were nominated and voted on by the CCC's athletic directors, and the Raiders’ head softball coach has embodied those core values.
In eight years as head coach Pistole has built one of the best softball teams in the nation, winning three national championships in seven appearances at the NAIA World Series. Her squad was 50-12 this year as they took the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series title over Oregon Tech. With the help of their strong leader, the team also accumulated a 3.52 GPA and contributed over 250 hours of community service annually.
Coach Pistole espouses a brand of character connected to a championship work ethic that reaches beyond the game of softball. She challenges her team with the “Ruck” – a fifteen-mile overnight hike to the top of 7000 ft. Mt Ashland – testing their commitment to each other and showing them, they can overcome self-doubt and discomfort to accomplish their goals.
She is the adviser for SOU’s Athletes in Action club (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) which allows student-athletes of faith to gather and support each other. She is committed to teaching selflessness as the most honest way to show respect; honor your teammates, family, and opponents; serve the community around you; and the integrity of real effort. She is truly a coach of character.
“Coach Pistole is courageous in showing gratitude, love, wisdom, and selflessness in the midst of competition. People in the stands recognize it during a game in her demeanor and her team's actions. They call it “class” and realize it’s there because she teaches it. We take immense pride in her and her teams' success with such a values-driven approach. Coach Pistole embodies class and character. Her team, and our athletic department, have an unbelievable role model in her.” –Matt Sayre (SOU AD)