And The Nominees Are: Higdon Award
04/27/16 | O Heroes, @GoDucksMoseley
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
On Monday, May 2, the UO athletic department will stage the O Show awards night in Matthew Knight Arena, hosted again by ESPN's Neil Everett.
The second annual ceremony shines a spotlight on department awards that have long been bestowed internally, providing a more public stage on which to honor UO student-athletes who are truly exceptional on and off the field. Nominations were made by UO student-athletes, and winners were selected through a vote by student-athletes and athletic department staff.
The Doyle Higdon Memorial Trophy is named in honor of a former member of Oregon's football and track and field teams, who was killed in an accident following his sophomore year. It's awarded to a sophomore student-athlete for achievements in athletics, scholarship and citizenship.
DEVON ALLEN, Track & field
After winning NCAA and USA Outdoor titles in the 110 hurdles as a true freshman in 2014, a football injury forced him to redshirt on the track in 2015. He returned with vigor as a redshirt sophomore this season, winning the NCAA Indoor 60-hurdles title in 7.56 seconds, a school record. This outdoor season he's run an NCAA leading 13.40 seconds in the 110 hurdles, and he's poised to take a shot at qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team.
CASEY BENSON, Men's basketball
Led all of NCAA Division-I in assist-to-turnover ratio for 2015-16, with 4.88 assists for every turnover. Started all 38 games at guard for the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champion Ducks during their run to the Elite Eight, and averaged 3.1 assists per game. Provided an offensive spark with 11 points and eight assists in the Sweet Sixteen against Duke, making a trio of three-pointers as the UO men knocked off the reigning national champs. Also managed a 3.47 grade-point average in pre-journalism.
ALLI CASH, Cross country
Balanced academics and athletics with aplomb, carrying a 3.7 GPA in human physiology while also helping set the pace for the Ducks on the trails. A consistent top-two finisher among UO women in the postseason, she placed sixth overall at the Pac-12 Championships and NCAA West Regionals, before finishing 31st at the NCAA Championships. Earlier in the fall, claimed victory in the Bill Dellinger Invitational to lead the Ducks' team victory.
ROYCE FREEMAN, Football
Set a school record with 1,836 rushing yards for Oregon's Alamo Bowl team. Finished fourth nationally in rushing, and was the only player in the country to accumulate at least 100 yards from scrimmage in every game last season. Earned second-team all-America status while balancing a 2.86 GPA in psychology.
RAEVYN ROGERS, Track & field
Reigning NCAA Outdoor champion at 800 meters followed that up as a sophomore with an NCAA Indoor title as well, in 2:04.68. Later in that same meet, with the team title hanging in the balance, anchored the 4x400 relay to a third-place finish in 3:29.77 – the second-fastest time in school school history – to give the Women of Oregon the championship. The two-time all-American also manages a 3.18 GPA.
AARON WISE, Golf
Semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award, which is given each season to the nation's top collegiate golfer. Has six top-three finishes in 10 events as a sophomore, entering this weekend's Pac-12 Championships. Looking to lead the Ducks into the NCAA Championships, which will be hosted by Eugene Country Club in late May. Also has compiled a 3.26 grade-point average.
