Hannah Wagner and Jackson Caudle chosen as The Occidental’s Athlete of the Week

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Hannah Wagner (left) and Jackson Caudle (right) are this week's Athletes of the Week. At Occidental College in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2018. Hope Fowler/The Occidental

Hannah Wagner (senior) had three service aces and ten kills as outside hitter in the Occidental women’s volleyball 3–2 loss against the Cal Lutheran Regals over homecoming weekend. According to head coach Heather Collins, Wagner and her fellow captains have maintained strong morale as leaders despite a tough season.

“We’ve had a lot of adversity,” Wagner said. “We’ve had so many girls that have been sick or injured, but we’ve also had a lot of girls step up when we thought we were doomed. I think the team has done a great job dealing with setbacks and it has made us mentally tough.”

According to Wagner, health issues have been the largest obstacle this season, at one point leaving half the players unable to practice. However, the team has managed to stay positive and dedicated as the season nears its end.

Hannah Wagner (senior), is an integral member of the women’s volleyball team at Occidental College in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2018. Hope Fowler/The Occidental

Coach Collins has been extremely impressed and happy with Wagner’s growth as a player and leader since first transferring to Occidental.

“When she came in, we knew right away she was athletic and she had a lot of talent, but I think it took a little while to fully embrace our system, and she was a little hesitant on the court,” Collins said. “However, as soon as she went through her first offseason training in the spring, she immediately got louder and more communicative. She has now become an extremely strong player who is one of our leaders that keeps the team together.”

Teammate and fellow captain Sabrina Degnan (senior) considers Wagner an essential part of team leadership and especially values her organization and structure as a captain.

“Hannah is very vocal and speaks for the team,” Degnan said. “She’s very honest, and the team respects her for that, but she also uses her voice to inspire the other girls.”

Wagner grew up near Seattle and is now a cognitive science major who hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in organizational psychology. She began playing volleyball at 9 years old and immediately fell in love with its competitive nature and team camaraderie. The volleyball team’s senior night and final home game was Oct. 27.

In the football homecoming game, linebacker Jackson Caudle (sophomore) had ten tackles, eight personal tackles, one fumble recovery and one sack against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Oct. 20. He was awarded Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the game. Ultimately, the Tigers fell to the undefeated-in-conference Stags, but regardless, the team was proud of how well they played against such a strong team, according to Caudle and head coach Rob Cushman.

“I think we played a lot better as a team collectively in the homecoming game,” Caudle said. “CMS is leading the SCIAC right now, ranked number one, but we competed with them and held them to a low score. I think we’re seeing all movement in a positive direction this season and everyone seems a lot more committed.”

According to Cushman, Caudle’s talent was recognized early in his first year, and he was a starter in every game of last year’s shortened season.

“We saw right away that he had great instincts, plays with great leverage and is a very, very smart player,” Cushman said. “Now, this year he has continued to improve and get better. He is really at the heart of everything we do, and we try to put him in position to use his ability and instincts. Jackson gets the other guys where they need to be and is really the type of player you love to coach.”

Quarterback Joshua Greaves (junior) similarly praised Caudle’s skill and drive as a player.

Jackson Caudle (sophomore), stands as The Occidental’s athlete of the week at Occidental College in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2018. Hope Fowler/The Occidental

“One thing about Jackson is that he plays with a lot of passion,” Greaves said. “He’s a guy who loves football and he puts in the extra work to be better. Jackson not only knows what his job is, but he knows what everyone else on the field is supposed to do, so he is always willing to help and he is always willing to encourage people around him. He really is a natural leader.”

Caudle is from Tehachapi, California, and he began playing at 6 years old because he was inspired by his father, who played high school football. He is a Biology major and hopes to attend medical school.

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