HILLSBORO,ORE. - George Fox University 5th year track and field athlete Ethan Kassebaum has been selected as the first Northwest Conference Athlete of the Year for a men’s team, the conference announced Tuesday.
The Northwest Conference Athlete of the Year award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership. To be eligible, a nominee must have competed and earned a varsity letter from their individual institution and have earned their undergraduate degree by Summer 2023.
"I am honored to be recognized with this award, and it is without a doubt a blessing. To me, this award is the exclamation mark of my Savior's gift he has bestowed upon me. Very few individuals in this world get the opportunity to practice athletics at the collegiate level, and very few of those get the privilege of experiencing the reward of countless repetitions and unending determination. I can be nothing more than grateful. I point my success to my coaches, my family, my teammates, and most importantly my God. All I want are my accolades to point towards an awesome and wondrous Father who loves and creates his children in immeasurable ways. Let that be the statute of my recognition and thank you members of the NWC for this award. Yours, Ethan."
Kassebaum, an Oregon City, Oregon native, completed his final season as a Bruin by becoming the 2023 NCAA Division III national champion in the men’s long jump. At the national level, he was a 2023 USTFCCCA All-American in the long jump for both indoor and outdoor track and field; USTFCCCA All-Region in the long jump in 2021, 2022, and 2023; USTFCCCA All-Region in the triple jump in 2021 and 2023; and USTFCCCA All-Region in the indoor long jump in 2019 and 2023.
A dominant force within the Northwest Conference, he is a two time Northwest Conference champion in the men’s triple jump and holds the conference record in the long jump (25-05.50). Kassebaum received All-NWC honors in the long jump and triple jump in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Kassebaum holds the school record at George Fox in the long jump (25-05.50) and indoor long jump (24-00.75).
During his time at George Fox, Kassebaum served as a track and field team captain (2022-23), football team captain (2021) and as a community health nurse where he provided thousands of inoculations. Academically, he was recognized on the Dean’s list eight times, graduated Summa Cum Laude and earned his Registered Nursing License.
“Ethan is an outstanding young man and demonstrated excellence in the classroom as a nursing major, and on the track as a long jump/triple jump athlete." said George Fox track and field head coach, John Smith. "What makes Ethan even more impressive is how great of a teammate he was, always putting others first, and being an encouragement to those around him. He competed with class and sportsmanship, and let his abilities do all the talking. Winning the national championship long jump title with a top 10 all-time mark for D3, along with the 2023 Scholar Field Athlete of the year for D3, are extremely impressive accomplishments. Ethan will best be remembered as a great teammate who had a lot of fun on his journey, and lifted those around him to a higher level.”