Nominees must have made exemplary accomplishments in their sport that bring credit to Oregon, their school and to the individual.

"It's just one of those things that tells me that someone out there cares that I went up there and wrestled," Remiticado said. "When you are up there, you are just focusing on wrestling, and the fact that someone recognizes it makes it seem more important."

Remiticado, a 1999 graduate of Iolani from 'Aiea, is back home and working at Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc. And she's home "indefinitely."

Remiticado was a candidate for the U.S. national team, but said, "it was a dream and I'm needed more here, trying to propagate the sport. I'm an assistant coach at Iolani, and the program is a lot bigger than when I was there. I want to ensure it has staying power.

"I feel I am making a difference somewhere else, helping to bring up a different breed of wrestlers."

Remiticado, who graduated from Pacific in 2003, was a four-time USGWA All-American. She won the 121-pound freestyle national championship in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and finished third in the 114-pound division in 2003.

She is the only Pacific athlete to win three national championships in any sport, and one of only two four-time All-Americans in the history of the Forest Grove, Ore., school.

Remiticado had a double major in physics and Japanese and was selected Pacific's Outstanding Female Senior Athlete.

The winner of the Rutschman award will be announced at the Oregon Sports Awards ceremony on Jan. 25 in Beaverton, Ore.

Football

Pasadena City College freshman linebacker Paulo Feagai (Farrington '03 of Kane'ohe) was named the Most Outstanding Freshman on defense at the team's awards banquet.

Feagai, who is 6 feet 4 and 220 pounds, had 35 solo and 16 assisted tackles in eight games, averaging 6.3 per game. He was also named to the Mission Conference "Players of the Week" list for Oct. 4, after recording 11 tackles in a 44-20 loss to Palomar.