Tech Dominates Softball Awards, Stewart Coach of the Year

via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Following an unprecedented fifth-straight Cascade Conference regular-season title, the Oregon Tech softball team earned two major awards and four players were selected first-team All-CCC, as the 2026 league honors were announced by the conference office.

Greg Stewart was named CCC Coach of the Year for a fifth-straight season and record 12th time in his career, while Kristine Schmidt was recognized as Newcomer of the Year. In addition, Schmidt, Nita Cook, Alli Parker and Addison Kachnik were selected as first-team honorees.

Two players – Puakea Milbourne and Malia Mick – were named to the All-CCC second-team, with Sawyer Stenson an honorable mention pick. Both Kachnik, Cook and Gina Allen were named to the CCC Gold Glove Team.

Stewart directed the Lady Owls to a 40-6 regular-season record, their seventh-straight 40-win season and the 15th-straight non-COVID season with 30-or-more victories. The 2026 team clinched their 14th-straight trip to the NAIA Tournament and will host a NAIA Opening Round site next Monday.

Schmidt was recognized after a big first-season season in the circle with the Lady Owls. The North Idaho College transfer is 18-4 with a 1.73 ERA and leads the staff with 151 strikeouts.

Cook earns All-CCC honors for a third-time and is a 3-time Gold Glove pick. The two-time NAIA All-American heads into the NAIA Championships hitting a team-best .436 with 12 doubles and 26 RBI. The senior second-baseman has 26 stolen bases and recently broke OIT’s career stolen base record.

Kachnik earns All-CCC honors for the second-straight year and Gold Glove honors for the first time. The third-baseman has had a breakout season, hitting .396 with career-highs of 15 doubles, eight home runs and 48 RBI.

Parker was selected as an All-CCC pitcher for the first time, as the junior enters the NAIA Tournament with a 12-1 record and a 1.89 ERA, striking out 105 batters in 89 innings.

Milbourne, Mick and Stenson have each had outstanding senior seasons for the Lady Owls. Milbourne is hitting .355 with nine home runs and 42 RBI, Mick is hitting .352 with 28 RBI, with Stenson hitting .370 with 13 doubles and 31 RBI.

Allen, a junior shortstop, was honored for the first time as a Gold Glove pick, having posted just six errors in 139 defensive chances at one of the most-difficult spots on the diamond.

Eastern Oregon’s Emily Barry was named Player of the Year, with British Columbia’s Carleen Murray selected as Pitcher of the Year.

2026 Cascade Conference
Post-Season Awards

Player of the Year: Hope Burke, Eastern Oregon
Pitcher of the Year: Carleen Murray, British Columbia
Co-Newcomers of the Year: Kina Watts, College of Idaho and Kristine Schmidt, Oregon Tech
Coach of the Year : Greg Stewart, Oregon Tech
Team Sportsmanship Award: Bushnell University

1^st Team (Top 18 players)

2^nd Team – Next 10

Honorable Mention (2 vote minimum)

Gold Glove Winners
Pitcher                Lexi Ramirez, Southern Oregon

Catcher              Kennedy Laird, British Columbia

1^st Base              Jessica Heutink, British Columbia

2^nd Base             Nita Cook, Oregon Tech

3^rd Base              Chloe Flerchinger, College of Idaho, Addison Kachnik, Oregon Tech

Shortstop         Gina Allen, Oregon Tech

Outfield             Elysia Duarte, Southern Oregon, Kamryn Ham, College of Idaho, Ari Williams, Southern Oregon, Hope Burke, Eastern Oregon, Nicolena Holen, Simpson