UO Softball
The Oregon softball team is ranked No. 1 in the final regular season editions of both top-25 polls, the NFCA and USA Softball announced Tuesday morning. The Ducks, who have been ranked No. 1 in both polls for six weeks straight, earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA softball championships on Sunday night. Oregon started the season at No. 8 in both polls, and after dropping to No. 10 after the first weekend of the season, steadily climbed up the charts before taking the top spot on April 8 after taking 2-of-3 from previously ranked No. 1 UCLA at Howe Field the weekend prior. The Ducks had never been ranked No. 1 in either poll in program history before this season, climbing as high as No. 2 last year. Oregon has also never claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA championships before this year. The Ducks host Albany, Utah Valley and Wisconsin this weekend in the NCAA Regional Round at Howe Field, with games starting on Friday and running through Sunday. Oregon’s first game is against Utah Valley at 5 p.m. on Friday.
OSU Softball
Junior Dani Gilmore has been named Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Gilmore helped the Beavers close out their season with a pair of victories, as Oregon State took its first series win over Stanford since 2007. Gilmore’s weekend was highlighted by a grand slam on Friday, as part of a 2-for-3, five RBI performance. She then followed that up by going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI on Saturday. Overall, Gilmore hit .500 over the course of the week, with an .800 slugging percentage. This is the first Pac-12 weekly honor of Gilmore’s career.
OSU Baseball
Oregon State sophomore Jeff Hendrix has been named the Pac-12 Conference’s Player of the Week on Monday, commissioner Larry Scott announced. Hendrix was dynamic in the Beavers’ 4-0 week, going 8-for-18 (.444) with six runs scored, five runs driven in, a home run, two doubles and two stolen bases. The home run, his second of the season, served as the game-tying shot against UCLA Sunday as the Beavers scored 11 unanswered runs. The Corvallis native finished with two or more hits in three of the four games. His sacrifice fly Tuesday against Oregon served as the game-winner in the 12th inning.
UO vb
University of Oregon senior Lauren Plum has been selected to the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team’s 12-player roster for the upcoming NORCECA World Championship Qualification Tournament. Plum – UO’s career assist record holder – and Team USA will compete May 15-18 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. Women open pool play on May 15 against Guatemala, followed by Panama on May 16 and Honduras on May 17. All three U.S. pool matches are scheduled for 2 p.m. (PT). The medal round matches take place on May 18 at noon and 1 p.m. The tournament winner advances to the FIVB Women’s World Championship set for Sept. 23 to Oct. 12 in six Italian cities.