CORVALLIS, OR. – Four Warrior women earned All-Cascade Conference honors, led by senior Ellie Sander’s third selection, announced by the conference office on Wednesday. Sander, along with teammates Sitara Byrd and Darian Herring, were voted to the first team while Payton Hymas earned All-CCC Honorable Mention honors.
“A big congratulations to these four on their well-deserved conference recognition,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “All four of these players came back even better than they were last year and it speaks volumes to how dedicated they are to this team and representing Warrior Basketball. Good things come to those who work for it and I know these four most definitely worked hard. All individual awards come from team success and I know all these players would congratulate their team as well.”
Sander caps her career with her third All-CCC honor and second first-team nod. The Spokane, Wash., native leads the conference in steals this season with 94 and is seventh in scoring with her team-leading 13.6 points per game. The senior is fourth in the conference in field goal percentage at .508. As a guard, Sander is second on the team in blocks with 23 and third in assists with 78. Heading into the national tournament she is shooting .797 (51-for-64) from the free throw line. Sander scored a career-high 36 points against SOU during the regular season which set the record in Southern Oregon’s facility. She was voted the CCC Defensive Player of the Week once this season.
“To cap off her senior season with all-conference recognition is a special honor for Ellie Sander,” Orlandi said. “Ellie has dedicated herself to being the best that she can be and every year she has been a part of Warrior Basketball she has improved. What Ellie can do defensively is so spectacular and to lead the conference two years in a row in steals shows just how important she has been to our team’s defense. She is a huge offensive threat and is a complete all-around player. Ellie has given her heart and soul to Warrior Basketball and I am so very proud to have been her coach and to see first-hand all she has accomplished.”
Byrd has been a key piece of both the offense and defense for LC State and is fourth in the CCC in 3-point percentage (.416). The junior from Spokane is averaging 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Byrd is second on the team in steals (75) and is shooting .489 from the field which ranks in the top 10 of the conference. Her 42 3-pointers made this season is second on the team. Byrd was voted the conference Offensive Player of the Week twice this season. She was the CCC Freshman of the Year in 2022-23.
“Sitara Byrd is the definition of hard work. Every time she is on the court, I know she is going to give us her 110%,” Orlandi said. “She is constant, an excellent leader, dedicated to hard work and the ultimate teammate. Consistency is huge and I know I can always count on Sitara. Having Sitara on our team is so special and she earns every award she receives through her hard work and dedication to be the best that she can be.”
Herring has been a defensive menace for LC State and is shattering records as just a sophomore. With seven blocks in the CCC title game on Tuesday, she leads the entire NAIA in blocks with 88. The mark is 10 more than the previous single-season record at LC State set in 2011-12. The Deer Park, Wash., native is second in the Cascade Conference in field goal percentage (.548) and fourth in assists with 106. Heading into the national tournament, Herring is averaging 10 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. She recorded the first triple-double in school history, male or female, this season when she totaled 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. She was voted the CCC Defensive Player of the Week three times and was once the NAIA Defensive Player of the Week.
“Darian came into this season ready to show the conference her skill set and she most definitely did,” Orlandi said. “Darian is one of the most versatile players in the league. She can defend, she can score, she is an excellent passer and we know she can block shots. What she has accomplished this season is so incredibly special; from her triple-double to the NAIA Defender of the Week, but I am truly so excited to see how she comes back next season. I know Darian can bring even more to her game and I believe a 3-point shot is in her future. She is just getting started and I know she will continue to impress and be a vital part of Warrior Women’s basketball.”
Hymas returned to the court this season after missing almost all of last season due to injury and made up for lost time with a stellar year as the team’s point guard. The junior from Middleton, Idaho is fourth in the Cascade in assists per game (4.0) and has 105 this season despite missing five games. She is averaging 9.1 points per game and has 52 steals on the season. Hymas is shooting .418 from the field and has four games with at least eight assists including a career-high 10 against Southern Oregon on the road. She was voted the CCC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 21 points against Warner Pacific (Ore.).
“Payton Hymas has had a fantastic season and she is an excellent floor general,” Orlandi said. “Payton brings strength, confidence and defensive tenacity every time she steps on the court. What I will always remember this season was Payton in the locker room after our win against Whitman College. It was a game that not every player got the chance to get in, and she looked around the room and said, ‘Every one of you is important to our success. Know that you make us better at practice by competing and defending us tough and we wouldn’t be the players we were if it wasn’t for you.’ I know we have great leadership and l look forward to Payton continuing that into our postseason and her senior season.”
