Annual Awards Bestowed At O Show
06/01/22 | General
Oregon's annual awards show returned Tuesday night in Matthew Knight Arena.
Oregon's athletic department awards extravaganza, "The O Show," returned after a two-year hiatus Tuesday night and honored elite performances by Ducks in several sports over the previous 12 months.
The men of Oregon track and field were among the night's most decorated programs. The Ducks' runners, jumpers and throwers were honored as the department's men's team of the year, and distance runner Cooper Teare was honored with the Emerald Award as senior male athlete of the year.
The Jackson Award for the senior female athlete of the year was bestowed upon soccer standout Eden Hardy. The women's golf program, fresh off an appearance in the national championship match-play final, was named women's team of the year.
Teare won a national championship at 5,000 meters for the Ducks in the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and helped Oregon win the distance-medley relay on the way to the team title at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships. Hardy was a five-year letterwinner in soccer who recently received the annual Pac-12 Student-Athlete Leadership Award, which is bestowed upon one female athlete and one male athlete from the conference per year and includes a $3,000 scholarship for postgraduate study.
The O Show was held for the first time since 2019, following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The event was held in Matthew Knight Arena and co-hosted by Te-Hina Paopao of UO women's basketball and Marcus Harper II of the football team.
Soccer goalkeeper Leah Freeman was honored with the Doyle Higdon Memorial Award as the department's outstanding sophomore student-athlete in 2021-22. Meagen Kiefer of track and field won the Witham O Heroes Award for her commitment to the department's community outreach efforts.
The O Heroes Award is supported by Patrick and Melanie Witham, who provided a $5,000 donation in Kiefer's name that she directed to be designated for Hosea Youth Services, a local program that offers shelter and support to youth in need.
The UO Student-Athlete Advisory Council's Above & Beyond Faculty Award went to Andre Sirois of the UO School of Music and Dance. The Above & Beyond Staff Award went to Nellie Schafer, the director of operations for UO volleyball and lacrosse.
Tuesday's show also included a performance by baseball player Tyler Ganus on piano with vocals, a spirited dance-off involving student-athletes and staff won by Sydnie Soto and Madysyn Sweeney of the lacrosse team, and a version of "Carpool Karaoke" that featured a cameo by UO director of athletics Rob Mullens
