PORTLAND, Ore. – Lewis & Clark College Athletics celebrated the achievements of its student-athletes and teams from the 2024–25 academic year during the 11th annual Excellence in Lewis & Clark Year in Sports (ELCYS) awards on Thursday, May 1.
Thirteen student-athletes received nine awards during the 75-minute ceremony. The program also recognized graduating seniors and newly inducted Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society members. Junior
Ali Kerschner, a cross country and track and field student-athlete, was honored for completing her second year as a Pamplin Fellow.
The evening opened with the Rookie of the Year awards. Men's golfer
Charlie Hageman was the first recipient, earning the honor for men's teams after a standout first season. Hageman led the team with a 74.48 scoring average and recorded top-10 finishes in six of his 11 tournaments. He posted six rounds at par or better, tied for eighth and fifth at the NWC Fall and Spring Classics, respectively, and helped the Pioneers claim their first confirmed tournament win since 1977 at the George Fox Invitational.
On the women's side, first-year lacrosse midfielder
Mack Searle took home Rookie of the Year honors after an all-around stellar debut. She scored 49 goals—third on the team and 10th in the NWC—and added 14 assists to finish with 63 points. Searle broke the program record for draw controls (81), led the team in caused turnovers (26), and finished second in ground balls (43). She converted 15 of 20 free-position attempts and led the team with five game-winning goals. Searle tied for the second-most ground balls and caused turnovers in a single NWC game this season, earned NWC Player of the Week (Defense), and landed All-NWC Honorable Mention honors.
The Dell Smith Scholar-Athlete of the Year medals were awarded to male student-athletes who excel academically and athletically.
Sophomore
Evan Markelz received the bronze medal. An Environmental Studies major with a minor in Earth System Science and a cross country and track and field athlete, Markelz was named a USTFCCCA All-Academic selection. He earned First Team All-Conference and All-Region honors and qualified for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. He also posted the third-fastest time in school history in the indoor mile and ran the third-fastest 10K in program history at the NWC Outdoor Championships to earn his first career All-Conference honor in track. He added the eighth-fastest time in the 5K this season.
Senior men's golfer
Jon Westlake earned the silver medal. A Psychology major with a minor in Health Studies, Westlake served as team captain while interning four days a week in a behavioral neuroscience lab at OHSU. He competed in 10 of 11 tournaments, posted a 77.58 scoring average, and set career bests with a 69 (-2) round and 147 (+5) tournament total at the George Fox Invitational.
Sophomore baseball player
Michael Aikawa earned the gold medal. A Biology major, Aikawa led the Pioneers in batting average (.372), on-base percentage (.483), and hits (54). He also ranked in the top three in slugging percentage, RBI, doubles, and steals. Aikawa led the NWC in doubles and ranked in the top 10 in on-base percentage, hits, RBI, and batting average.
The Judy McMullen Scholar-Athlete of the Year medals were awarded to female student-athletes for their achievements in academics and athletics.
Senior tennis player
Hayley Kreps received the bronze medal. A double major in Math and Biology, Kreps earned numerous academic honors and will participate in Rogers Research this summer. As co-captain, she posted a career-best 16-7 singles record, nine conference wins, and nine doubles victories.
Senior softball player
Katie Ingersoll received the silver medal. A Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major, Ingersoll worked as a Rogers Summer Science Intern, served as a SAAB Chemistry tutor and TA, and was chosen as the 2025 Senior Speaker. Despite breaking her wrist early in the season, she returned to action in mid-April and contributed six runs over her first few games back.
Senior distance runner
Riley Buese earned the gold medal. A Biology major and standout in cross country and track and field, Buese won the NWC cross country title, placed second at regionals, and finished 17th at nationals. She earned All-American status in the 3K and 5K during indoor track, reset multiple program records, and added her eighth and ninth career NWC titles in the 5K and 10K at the outdoor championships.
Junior
Jordan Lahusky was named the Dan Jones Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year after starring in both football and track and field. Lahusky earned First Team All-NWC honors as an at-large selection and honorable mention as a returner. He totaled 1,069 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns, led the team with 7.3 yards per carry and posted over 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in the season finale. In track, he finished 16th in the 400 meters at the conference championships.
Junior
Kate Meinhard received the Mary Hunter Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year award. A captain in both women's soccer and women's lacrosse, Meinhard started all 19 soccer games at center back and added two goals and an assist. In lacrosse, she contributed 33 goals and 20 assists, led the team in ground balls (42), ranked third in draw controls (80), and added nine free-position goals and two game-winners. She also serves as SAAC's social media and advertising coordinator and is VP of the NWC SAAC.
Junior
Ezra Billings was honored as the Joe Huston Athlete of the Year. The men's swimmer was named the NWC Men's Swimmer of the Year—the first in program history—after winning the 50 Free, 100 Free, and 100 Butterfly at the NWC Championships. He also helped the 400 Free Relay to a win, earned four First Team and one Second Team All-NWC honors, broke multiple school records, and posted two NCAA B Cut times.
Buese became the first student-athlete to win the Lois Smithwick Athlete of the Year award three times. She swept the 5K and 10K at the NWC Championships for the third time in her career, becoming the first woman in conference history to win both events three times. She also became the first woman in NWC history to win four conference titles in the 5K and finished her career with 12 All-Conference honors in 12 conference races. Her third career 5K-10K double broke a tie with L&C Hall of Famer Emily Thomas ('13).
The ChamPIOn Award, presented annually to a student-athlete who embodies the Pioneers' spirit and the department's mission of building champions in competition, the classroom, the community, and in character, went to junior baseball catcher/designated hitter
Joaquin Sandoval. Sandoval started 35 games, hit seven home runs, drove in 27 runs, and slugged .455. Off the field, he's an active member of SAAC, launched a new law fraternity, sits on the college's Environmental Committee, and serves on the Mascot Committee.
Eight student-athletes were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and most prestigious academic honor society. The inductees included:
The 2025 ELCYS capped off another remarkable year for Lewis & Clark Athletics, spotlighting the talent, leadership and lasting impact of its student-athletes on the field and in the classroom.
