Oregon State's Johnson, Canham Earn Pac-10 Medals

Canham's efforts on the field have helped the defending national champion Beavers enter their third consecutive College World Series.

Senior centerfielder Natalie Johnson was named a 2006-07 Pac-10 Conference Medal winner. Photo: OSU Athletics

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Senior outfielder Natalie Johnson of the softball team and junior catcher Mitch Canham of the baseball team are Oregon State’s 2006-07 Pac-10 Conference Medal winners, as was announced by Commissioner Tom Hansen on Thursday.

A Conference Medal is awarded annually to each member institution’s outstanding senior female and male student-athlete based on the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.

Conference Medal winners will be honored at the State Farm Pride of the Pac-10 Luncheon held in Los Angeles in conjunction with the Pac-10 Men’s Basketball Tournament next March.

Johnson, from Lake Oswego, Ore., was a first team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection as a Psychology major and served as the Community Involvement chair of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for 2006-07.

She was a three-time Pac-10 All-Academic pick for the nationally ranked Beavers and earned second team All-Pac-10 accolades for her work in the field as a senior.

Known throughout her career for her defensive efforts, Johnson turned in a stellar final season from the plate, leading the team with a .329 batting average and finishing with 17 stolen bases in 18 tries.

Canham, a junior from Lake Stevens, Wash., was named to the Louisville Slugger All-America Baseball team as a third team selection and currently holds a .317 batting average with nine home runs, 54 RBI, and 48 runs scored.

His efforts on the field have helped the defending national champion Beavers enter their third consecutive College World Series.

Canham was a first team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection and a Pac-10 All-Academic first team honoree.

He also was chosen to receive the Pacific-10 Sportsmanship Award that is given to one male and one female in the conference.

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