OKLAHOMA CITY (June 16, 2021) – A trio of fifth-year seniors – a distance-running standout, an elite golfer and the cornerstone of the Oklahoma Christian baseball team – were recognized Wednesday with the highest honors in OC athletics for the 2020-21 academic year

Track and field's Kelsey Castillo was named as Ms. Eagle, while golf's Trevor Norby and baseball's Gabe Rodery shared Mr. Eagle honors. Head coaches and athletic department administrators and trainers voted on the awards, which are presented annually to the female and male senior student-athletes who best combine success in their sport with representing the ideals of OC.

Castillo, from Edmond, steadily improved during each of her five years at OC while competing in cross country and track and field. She graduated in April 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Nursing, but opted to return to OC and take advantage of her final season of eligibility in outdoor track. She made it memorable, earning All-Lone Star Conference second-team honors by virtue of finishing third in the 1,500 meters and fifth in the 800 meters at the LSC Outdoor Championships.

She capped her career with the second-fastest 800-meter time in OC history, a 2:13.91 clocking at the Lee University Last Chance Meet in Cleveland, Tenn. Her top time of 4:38.49 in the 1,500 also ranks second in program history. She was named earlier this season as the LSC's runner of the week after a career-best time of 17:43.15 in the 5,000 meters at the Sooner Invitational in Norman.

Earlier in her career, she was a two-time All-Great American Conference second-team honoree in the indoor mile and distance medley relay, when the Eagles competed in the GAC. She was a part of relay teams that hold school records in the indoor and outdoor 4x800 and distance medley relays.

She's also earned a slew of academic awards through the years from the LSC, the GAC, the Heartland Conference, the Division II Athletic Directors Association and the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

"Kelsey has been such a key part of our cross country and track program throughout her career," OC coach Wade Miller said. "She was committed to being a leader, encouraging teammates and helping them grow. She did a great job of balancing her academics and athletic requirements.

"Her example of persevering through the uncertainty of the pandemic year was wonderful for our younger athletes and it was so fitting that she could establish some great marks during this past outdoor season. She is a great representative of Oklahoma Christian!"

Castillo is the sixth track and field athlete to be named as Ms. Eagle, joining Denise Mattoon Greene (2011), Roz Hamilton (2014), McKenzie Stanford (2017), Layne Hammer (2018) and Destiny Grace (2020).

Rodery, a left-handed pitcher from Verdigris, has been the heart and soul of the OC baseball program since his sophomore season, when he emerged as the Eagles' top starting hurler. He established himself as one of the top pitchers in the South Central Region and, like Castillo, opted to return for a final season of competition after graduating in April 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Nursing. He pitched in 2021 while juggling a new marriage and a full-time job at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital and working on a master's degree.

This season, he posted an 8-1 record with a 5.73 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings, ranking among the LSC leaders in wins and strikeouts. He made the All-LSC second-team list in addition to the league's All-Academic team while helping the Eagles finish fourth in the conference after they placed ninth in the league's preseason poll.

He finished his OC career with 23 pitching wins, thought to be the second-highest total in program history behind only 1970s star Morris Karnes, who had 26. Rodery also recorded 291 strikeouts in his career, surpassing Karnes, who is thought to be the previous OC record-holder with 245.

In 2019, Rodery was an All-South Central Region second-team selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association and an All-Heartland Conference first-team selection. During his career, he was the South Central Region pitcher of the week once and the Heartland pitcher of the week three times. He soon will be a three-time recipient of the Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award and has made either the LSC or Heartland Honor Roll six times.

In 2020, he was named as OC's male Lone Star Conference Scholar-Athlete award winner. He is only the second baseball player to be named as Mr. Eagle, joining Caden Cleveland (2015).

"Gabe is the poster child for all of OC, not just the athletic department," said his coach, Lonny Cobble. "He is a great young man who represents what OC stands for. We have been fortunate to have had him as a member of our baseball team for five years."

Norby, from Carlsbad, Calif., established himself as one of the best golfers in OC's considerable history in that sport after transferring in 2018 from San Diego State. He was planning on serving as a graduate assistant coach for OC this season before the NCAA awarded an extra season of eligibility to 2020 spring-sport athletes, who had their season last year cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both he and the Eagles are glad he chose to play during the 2020-21 season. Norby is a finalist for the NCAA Division II Nicklaus Award, presented to the player of the year. He also was the Division II male representative on the winning U.S. team in the just-completed Arnold Palmer Cup, played this year at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. He was the first OC player to compete in the event, considered one of the most prestigious in amateur golf.

Already a two-time All-American (with 2021 honors still to be determined), Norby played in 10 tournaments during the 2020-21 season, posting seven top-five and nine top-10 finishes (including his fifth career win, in the Lion Invitational in Trophy Club, Texas) and he was 14th in the other tournament, an otherwise all-Division I event outside of the OC players who competed.

His season scoring average of 71.18 over 28 rounds (20 of those at or below par) was the lowest in OC history, breaking the former record of 71.3, which had been shared by two OC Athletic Hall of Famers, Juan Lizzaralde (2003-04) and Bruno Buccolo (2006-07). Norby's career scoring average of 71.42 over 79 rounds also is tops in program history.

In addition to the Palmer Cup, Norby also earned entry into another elite all-star event, the Patriot All-America in late December at Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Ariz. He was a first-team All-America pick in 2019-20 and a third-team selection in 2018-19 in his first season with the Eagles.

Norby made the All-Lone Star Conference first-team list for a second straight season, was the top-ranked player in the South Central Region by Golfstat.com and was a three-time LSC player of the week. He helped the Eagles secure the No. 1 seed in the Division II South Central Region entering the NCAA postseason.

He is only the second OC golfer to be named as Mr. Eagle, joining Oscar Stark (2011).

"It's a great honor for Trevor to represent our athletic department as Mr. Eagle," OC men's golf coach and Athletic Director David Lynn said. "I am so proud to have been alongside him these past three years for some of his journey. He played with true grit and determination and made all of his family, friends and OC golf very proud.

"It's only fitting that Trevor and Gabe should share the award. They both are outstanding competitors and the respective anchors of their programs. I am thankful both of them, and Kelsey, decided to return to OC for their extra season of eligibility."

MS. AND MR. EAGLE
PAST WINNERS:
2020-21 – Kelsey Castillo (track and field); Trevor Norby (golf) and Gabe Rodery (baseball)
2019-20 – Destiny Grace (track and field); Will Lienhard (basketball)
2018-19 – Addy Clift (basketball); Jordan Box (basketball)
2017-18 – Layne Hammer (track and field); Landon Huslig (track and field) and Elijah Strickland (basketball)
2016-17 – McKenzie Stanford (basketball/track and field); John Moon (basketball)
2015-16 – Audrey Meisch (golf); Bryant Keirns (cross country/track and field)
2014-15 – Kendra Pierce (softball); Caden Cleveland (baseball)
2013-14 – Roz Hamilton (basketball/track and field); Kendre Talley (basketball)
2012-13 – Katy O'Steen (basketball); David McWilliams (cross country/track and field) and Devan White (basketball)
2011-12 – Davee Croy (softball); Silas Kisorio (cross country/track and field)
2010-11 – Denise Mattoon Greene (track and field); Oscar Stark (golf)
2009-10 – Kacie Hoppe (soccer); Jason Taylor (basketball)
2008-09 – Lindsey Gipson (basketball); Josh Wayland (cross country/track and field) and Jordan Powell (cross country/track and field)
2007-08 – Kristin Brown (soccer); Adam Barnes (soccer)