BASEBALL’S DH SWEEP AND WARD’S NATIONAL RUNNER-UP NAMED AVILA ATHLETICS UPSET AND MOMENT OF THE YEAR

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two of the biggest events on the 2025-26 Eagle calendar are being recognized. Baseball’s doubleheader sweep at Oklahoma Wesleyan is the Upset of the Year and Haley Ward’s National runner-up finish is the 2026 Avila Athletics Moment of the Year.

Baseball’s doubleheader sweep at Oklahoma Wesleyan on April 18 was the program’s first sweep in Bartlesville in program history. Avila used two late-game rallies and overcame a field change and weather delays to take down Oklahoma Wesleyan 8-5 and 5-4 in the program’s final road series of the year.

The win was Avila’s first single-game victory against Oklahoma Wesleyan since 2022 and the first sweep of OKWU in program history.

The biggest competition of the year is our Moment of the Year as Haley Ward took second place in the 207-pound class at the 2026 NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships.

Ward became the second All-American in program history and had the highest finish of any Avila wrestler in school history, earning her place among the Avila Athletics greats.

All four of Ward’s victories in the national tournament came against nationally-ranked opponents.

We have four more awards to announce in the coming days. Stay tuned on Friday as we announce the Leadership Award and the Daryl Cronk Athletic Staff Member of the Year on May 15!