O Show Honors Oregon's Best Of The Best From 2017-18

EUGENE, Ore. — The Triple Crown of national championships by the Oregon women's cross county and track and field programs from 2016-2017 was among the big winners Monday night at the annual "O Show" postseason awards banquet for the UO athletic department.

The women's track and field program was named Oregon's top female team for the last calendar year, head coach Robert Johnson shared the department's coach of the year award and the victory in the 4x400-meter relay to clinch the 2017 NCAA Outdoor title — and thus the Triple Crown — was named best moment.

In the past the O Show has been held in late spring to honor athletes, coaches and highlights from the current academic year. But early summer feats such as the Triple Crown would happen after the show, and thus this year's O Show honored performances in the calendar year since last year's show.

O Show nominations are made the athletic department's coaches, and voted on by student-athletes, coaches and staff. This year's show was held in downtown Eugene at the McDonald Theater, and hosted by recent UO athletics Hall of Fame inductee Jordan Kent.

The UO men's golf team's spring 2017 success also had a chance to be feted Monday. That program was named top men's team team of the last year after reaching the 2017 NCAA Tournament final, and sophomore Norman Xiong was named best male athlete for his six tournament titles in 2017-18.

Women's basketball team sophomore all-American Sabrina Ionescu was named female athlete of the year. Her teammate Satou Sabally was named the department's top freshman, and their coach Kelly Graves shared coach of the year honors with Johnson.

Football quarterback Justin Herbert received the Doyle Higdon Memorial Award as the department's top sophomore.

The Jackson Award to the top senior female athlete based on accomplishments on and off the field went to Gwen Svekis, the catcher and cleanup hitter for the softball team who also helped raise thousands of dollars for childhood cancer research through the St. Baldrick's Foundation. The student-athlete who spearheaded that fundraising effort the last two years, soccer player Caitlyn Wong, received the Herb Yamanaka Oregon Pride Award.

The Emerald Athletic Award to the top male senior based on accomplishments on and off the field went to baseball player Kyle Kasser. He's been the program's most dependable hitter the last three years, and is a national finalist for the Senior CLASS Award based on athletics, academics, leadership and community service. He played a role in the baseball team's involvement with "Team Impact," which gives disadvantaged kids a chance to interact with college teams; that effort was acknowledged Monday with the baseball team winning the department's O Heroes Award.

The comeback player of the year in the department was sophomore softball player Miranda Elish. One of the top pitchers in the country this season, she was in danger of missing extended time due to a preseason ankle injury but recovered and has been dominant entering this weekend's NCAA Super Regionals at Jane Sanders Stadium.

The Jaqua Awards from the academic support staff went to Natalie Modly of the lacrosse team and distance runner Sam Prakel. Strength and conditioning coach Matt Voss received the staff member of the year award, and journalism instructor Troy Elias was named faculty member of the year.