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52 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, January 28, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 12, 2005 Raiders’ Ferris, Balensifer up for Oregon sports honors ASHLAND — Two Southern Oregon University athletes are finalists for prestigious Oregon Sports Awards. Raider volleyball standout Kristin Ferris is one of five Oregon small-college performers under consideration for the Ad Rutschman female athlete-of-the-year honor, while former SOU heavyweight wrestler Wes Balensifer is one of five finalists for the male accolade. The Rutschman award winners will be announced at the Tiger Woods Center on the Nike Campus in Beaverton Jan. 30. The entire Oregon Sports Awards program will be broadcast on Portland-based KATU- TV starting at 6:15 p.m. Ferris earned second-team NAIA volleyball All-American distinction after compiling one of the best all-around seasons in school history. The 5-foot-7 outside hitter from Medford became the first SOU player ever to compile more than 400 kills and 400 digs in a single season. She helped the 2004 Raiders go 28-8 overall, repeat as Cascade Conference champion, capture a fourth straight regional title and place ninth at the NAIA Championships. The conference and regional MVP was the only player in the 10-team league to finish among the stat leaders in four major categories: kills (fifth, 468), digs (eighth, 480), attack percentage (11th, .240) and service aces (seventh, 50). Advertisement Balensifer capped the best individual season in SOU’s tradition-rich wrestling history by winning the 2004 NAIA 285-pound championship last March. Balensifer, a three-time All-American, finished with the school’s best-ever season record (42-2) and surpassed season (15) and career (27) pin records. He ranks seventh all-time for career wins (91-20 overall) and finished on a 14-bout win streak. Ferris and Balensifer are only the third and fourth Raider athletes to receive Rutschman consideration. All-American running back Dusty McGrorty shared the male honor last year, while volleyball standout Kristina Matchett was a two-time finalist. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers