CORVALLIS, Ore. - Bushnell men's soccer senior Caleb Premo has been named the 2026 Cascade Collegiate Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as voted on by the CCC Athletic Directors. 

Premo concluded a strong athletic and academic career at Bushnell University, completing his studies with a 3.99 GPA. The Bushnell Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year was also named the Bushnell School of Education Graduate of the Year as well as the winner of their Outstanding Teacher Leadership Award. Throughout his career he was a three-time Academic All-CCC selection, a three-time NAIA Scholar Athlete, and a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection.

In February, Caleb was selected to present his original literary research at the 2025 Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Associate Conference in San Francisco. His paper, "Making Monsters Out of Mercy: Grapes of Wrath and the 'Monstering' of Altruism," was accepted into a competitive main-session panel on American literature from 1865 to 1945. He presented alongside a professor emeritus, a senior lecturer, and an assistant professor, an uncommon distinction for an undergraduate scholar. He was one of just four selected to present in a main-session panel.

 

CCC Scholar-Athletes of the Year Erik Quick-Warner Men's Basketball 2010 Stephanie Hescock Women's XC/Track 2014 Michelle Fletcher Women's XC/Track 2016 Jack Hackman Men's Basketball 2017 Michelle Fletcher Women's XC/Track 2017 Michael Loomis Men's Basketball 2018 Conner Covey Men's XC/Track 2019 Britnee Joaquin Women's Soccer 2019 Caleb Premo Men's Soccer 2026

As an athlete, Premo tied Bushnell's single-season record for assists this season, and guided the Beacons to the CCC tournament where they upset No. 1-seed Eastern Oregon University in a quarterfinal shootout. He ended his career ranked No. 2 in school history for goals, assists, and points, earning the most in each category in over 16 years. He also set a Bushnell single-game record with four assists in a 4-1 victory over Pacific University in September.

Men's Soccer Head Coach Joao Ehlers said, "Premo left a mark on our program and helped raise the standard in every area. He was a true role model who set the example for his teammates and our campus community on a daily basis. He made a great impact on the field with goals and assists in important games, while also playing a vital role in building the culture of our program. He definitely leaves this program in a far better place than he found it."

Premo is the ninth Beacon to win the CCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award and first in seven years. He is the first Men's Soccer player selected.