via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A remarkable season from guard Tatum Schmerbach earned the Oregon Tech junior Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year honors, presented by McDonald’s/Urban Edge Network, as the 2025-26 All-CCC awards were announced by the league office.
Schmerbach was one of three players selected to the All-CCC team, as Olivia Sprague earned her fourth All-CCC award, while Jozie Ramos was selected for the second consecutive year.
The honor for Schmerbach ends a 21-year drought for the Lady Owls in the Player of the Year category – as despite countless stellar players and performances over the two-decade span, no player since Nikki McElligott won consecutive Player of the Year awards in 2004 and 2005 had won the distinction. Prior to McElligott, only Carmen (Arroquero) Morgan claimed a Player of the Year honor, winning District MVP accolades in 1985.
The numbers from the former South Medford star are staggering, as the 18.7 points per game average currently is the highest scoring average since women’s basketball returned to the Basin in 2002. Schmerbach, who blew past the 1,000-point mark early in the season, sits two made field goals away from establishing a new single-season record (235). She has scored in double-figures in 36-straight games dating back to last season, the second-longest streak in program history.
Schmerbach leads the CCC in assists (136) and assists per game (4.5), while ranking in the Top-5 in both rebounds per game (7.3) and field goal percentage (.517).
For Sprague, the award is another in an amazing OIT career, as the fifth-year player returned to the court after missing the 2024-25 season due to injury. The guard from Clatskanie is averaging 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game – all among the CCC’s Top-10 – as are her steals (53) and blocked shot (22) numbers. The 2-time NAIA All-American has scored more points (1,705) than any other OIT women’s player since the program returned in 2002 and is the only player in team history to score at least 1,500 points, record 600 rebounds, 400 assist and 200 steals.
Ramos continued her outstanding play in the post this season, averaging 11 points and seven rebounds per game, while leading Tech with 34 blocked shots. The junior, from Baker City, surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career in the CCC semifinals against Corban and earlier in the season became fifth player to post 100-or-more blocked shots in a career.
The Lady Owls are set to learn if they received an at-large bid to the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship on Thursday at 5 p.m. – with tournament play at 16 sites set to begin on March 13.
2025-26 All-Cascade Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Tatum Schmerbach, Oregon Tech; Defensive Player of the Year: Kelsie Siegner, Eastern Oregon; Freshman of the Year: Riley Beck, College of Idaho; 6th Player of the Year: Mandie Jensen, Corban; Co-Coaches of the Year: Kylie Frizell, Corban & Anji Weissenfluh, Eastern Oregon; Team Sportsmanship Award: Bushnell.
First Team All-Conference: Jenna Albrecht, Corban; Jaylo Bello, Walla Walla; Sitara Byrd, Lewis-Clark State, Eliza DiGiulio, Southern Oregon; Jersey Huerta, Corban; Darian Herring, Lewis-Clark State, Payton Hymas, Lewis-Clark State; Bridgette McIntyre, Southern Oregon; Anna Mooney, College of Idaho; Jozie Ramos, Oregon Tech; Tatum Schmerbach, Oregon Tech; Kelsie Siegner, Eastern Oregon; Olivia Sprague, Oregon Tech; Kendall Wallace, Lewis-Clark State; Kylie Waltermeyer, College of Idaho.
Honorable Mention: Emilia Bishop, Corban; Jenna Glenzel, Evergreen, Skylar Groesbeck, Warner Pacific; Kali Kast, Eastern Oregon; Ayden Krupke, Bushnell; Kaleah Medeiros, Northwest; Maggie Smith, Eastern Oregon; Tori Younker, Corban.
