Kaloa Neukan loves soccer. It’s always been her passion — and she’s good at it. She played soccer in high school and was offered a scholarship by Rogue Community College to attend classes and play for the Ospreys. Just days before tuition was due, the coach left and Kaloa’s scholarship fell through. Kaloa was living with a host family at the time and they helped her...
Jhoel Sarraude is a young man who is willing to put in the work to achieve his goals, both on and off the pitch. It’s common to enjoy water sports in Jhoel’s native Hawaii, but he never had any doubt that “footy” was his passion. With a father from Argentina, Jhoel has been near a soccer ball from the time he was in the crib....
Noelani Beard’s dedication to her craft has spanned nearly 5,000 miles from the island of Hawaii to Southern Oregon and across the continental United States to Raleigh, North Carolina. When a person takes the difficult step into the unknown, there is a vulnerability in not knowing what comes after. For Noelani, it has been no different. Growing up on the islands with limited recruitment opportunities,...
Rogue Community College center midfielder Rosendo Juarez Flores has his feet on the soccer field and his eyes on the future. The 22-year-old sophomore, who goes by the nickname Pizo, is just four classes away from completing an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degree with an interest in pre-professional medicine. Pizo’s career goal is to become a physical therapist. “It took my knee to...
Alejandro Velazquez knows what it’s like to struggle toward a dream. In his plan, 2014 was supposed to be a breakthrough year, the launch of his post-high school soccer career as a freshman at California State University in Monterey Bay. Alejandro’s sports-loving family nurtured his love of soccer and other sports, cheering him on through years of play in championship club teams. He was ready...
Question: What makes a great athlete? Answer: A great student. Last year at Rogue Community College, a record-breaking 11 student athletes earned All Academic Standing in the Northwest Athletic Conference. Previously, the highest number of RCC athletes to earn the recognition in one year was five. In order to qualify for All Academic Standing, students must complete at least 36 credits, have a GPA or 3.25 or higher, and have...
MEDFORD — Ospreys Athletics is proud to announce the hire of Christine Nelson as head coach for the inaugural season of women’s volleyball at Rogue Community College. Nelson brings more than two decades of experience coaching volleyball and basketball at the high school and collegiate levels. She comes to RCC from Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Washington, which also competes in the Northwest Athletic Conference...
The Rogue Community College Ospreys women’s soccer team is proud to announce that three sophomores have signed letters of intent to play at the university level next season. Ospreys forward Logan Billy and defenders McKenna Frison and Lara Nuttall have signed on to play in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Ospreys Athletics hosted a celebration with friends and family Friday, March 8. Billy...
Ospreys will start spiking volleyballs in Northwest Athletic Conference South Division action in 2019. “We are stoked,” said Rogue Community College athletic director Darren Van Lehn. “Bringing women’s volleyball to Rogue means more opportunity for local athletes to continue their athletic careers while earning a college education. It also means an exciting new sport for our fans.” The Ospreys will make their first serve in...
Rogue Community College’s fledgling athletics program has taken flight this season, reaching several milestones in its third year with the Northwest Athletic Conference: In August, the college hired its first dedicated athletics director and, in October, the Ospreys men’s soccer team earned its first-ever ranking in the coaches poll and a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. “It’s been a very good couple of weeks for...