CASCADE CONFERENCE PRESS RELEASE
EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell junior softball player Gracie Hamilton has been announced as the female recipient of the Cashell Family Impact Scholarship, awarded by the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
Established in 2023 with a gift from Robert (CCC commissioner), Heather and Elizabeth Cashell, the fund provides two scholarships awarded annually to one female and one male from among the student-athletes attending CCC schools who have displayed a significant and positive “impact” on their respective campuses.
Hamilton, in just her first season with the Beacons after transferring from Blue Mountain Community College, immediately made her presence felt on her team and on campus in very positive ways. She embodies the Bushnell Tri-Athlete model with humility and kindness, serving others, performing on the field, and holding a 4.0 GPA in Biology.
Hamilton is known for her infectious smile and the way she impacts everyone she meets on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. She pushes barriers and expects excellence from herself and then brings her teammates and coaches with her.
Head Coach Jim Patrick said, “Gracie is selfless, giving, caring and determined. She interacts with everyone, including umpires and opponents, in a respectful way and shows up every day ready to compete with class. She looks to find ways to lead even when nobody is watching and she leads in a way that points to Jesus. She has a big heart that sometimes shoulders more responsibility than she needs to.”
Hamilton’s impact reached beyond her team and the Bushnell campus as she was one of the spearheads for team community service efforts in 2024-2025. Beacon softball performed a variety of community service projects during the year and Hamilton was of the most enthusiastic volunteer and a leader to others. This included a canned food drive for Food for Lane County, a Christmas adopt-a-family program, and worked at Hendricks Park doing trail cleaning and brush removal. Hamilton was heavily involved in those efforts and worked hard to get all of her teammates on board as well.
Teammate Emma Fournier said, “Gracie has been one of the most impactful people in my life, not just through her athletic abilities, but through her unwavering relationship with Jesus and the kindness she consistently shows to everyone around her. She has been a remarkable listener and a guiding presence in my life. There have been many moments when I needed someone to confide in or look to for advice, and Gracie was consistently present, with understanding, insight, and a genuine concern for my well-being. She not only listens to people; she truly comprehends them. Her support and example have truly guided my growth, not just as an athlete and teammate, but also as an individual.”
“Gracie serves others in everything that she does,” added Coach Patrick, “often when many may not even realize it. Whether it is meeting with coaches to improve her batting for her team, having conversations about how to call the game in an effective way, asking how she can help her teammates, lifting teammates up when they are struggling. Even in the classroom she shows up every day without complaint and when doing study hall hours, you walk around the corner of athletics and there she is studying and doing the best she can to be the best in the classroom too. She serves others not only in her actions but how she supports them whether it be through prayer, a listening ear or actively doing something for them, she has proven to her team and coaches that she has their back and wants to be there for them even in moments they may not see or hear of right away.
Hamilton joins Bushnell men’s cross country and track athlete Sayer Pescosolido as the first two Beacon recipients of the award.