CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon Tech shortstop Kaila Mick was named Cascade Conference Player of the Year, one of eight Lady Owls named to the All-CCC Team, as the 2024 postseason awards were announced by the conference office.
In addition, Greg Stewart was named CCC Coach of the Year for the third-straight season and the tenth time in his 20-year career at OIT. Stewart, who picked up his 700th career win in February, previously won the award in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023.
For the fourth-straight year, Mick earned first-team All-Cascade Conference honors – with the CCC coaches recognizing her huge season with the league’s highest honor. The grad student heads into the playoffs hitting .484 with 18 doubles, five homers and 56 RBI, while setting an OIT single-season record with 10 triples.
She becomes the ninth OIT player to earn the award, joining Torrie Philippi in 1997 and 1998, Meagan Webber in 2001, Leah Azevedo in 2002, Amanda Doherty in 2004 and 2006, Kelsi Haylett in 2007, Shauna Collins in 2014, Tara Moates in 2015 and Ali Graham in 2016 and 2019. Mick has set the CCC all-time career runs scored record and now sits five hits away from the CCC all-time hits mark.
The Owls led all CCC teams with five first-team selections – as pitcher Kacie Schmidt, first baseman Puakea Milbourne, second baseman Nita Cook, and centerfielder Lexi Klum joined Mick on the team. Schmidt earns the accolade for a second-straight season, entering the postseason with a 21-4 record and a 1.47 ERA, leading the league in wins. Milbourne has had a breakout year, hitting .376 with a team-best 11 home runs and a league-best 59 RBI. Cook has been key in the leadoff role for the Lady Owls, hitting .402 with 12 doubles, seven triples, five homers and 26 RBI, adding 17 stolen bases. Klum was selected for a second time, thanks to a career year – hitting .386 with eight homers and 49 RBI, riding a 9-game hit streak into the CCC Tournament.
Two players – Jayce Seavert and Mckenzie Staub – were selected as second-team All-CCC picks, while Zoe Allen was named an honorable mention selection. Seavert earns All-CCC honors for a third-straight year, hitting .381 with 29 RBI, while Staub earns CCC honors for a fourth-straight season after finishing the regular-season 17-3 with a 2.43 ERA. Allen earns the honor for the second-straight season, hitting .371 with 22 RBI, adding a career-best 10 doubles.
A record-setting five OIT players were named to CCC Gold Glove Team –Seavert at catcher, Cook at second base, Mick at shortstop, Klum as an outfielder and Schmidt at pitcher. It is Seavert’s second-straight Gold Glove win, allowing just 15 stolen bases on the year and committing just one error; Cook leads all CCC players at second base in fielding percentage (.988); Mick has a .983 fielding percentage in CCC play; with Klum one of the top defenders in centerfield in the circuit. Schmidt earns the honor having committed no errors in 40 defensive chances.
OIT plays host to the CCC Championships, presented by U.S. Bank – with games beginning tomorrow at 9 a.m. The Lady Owls will play their first game at 2 p.m. against the winner of Southern Oregon vs. British Columbia.
