OKWU MOURNS LOSS OF STUDENT ATHLETE; SOCCER AND VOLLEYBALL HEAD IN OCTOBER
The Oklahoma Wesleyan University family mourns the loss of freshman soccer player Christian McCauley who passed unexpectedly over the weekend.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Oct. 1, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Tragedy gripped the Oklahoma Wesleyan University family with the passing Sunday of men’s soccer player Christian McCauley.
According to an obituary on the Echovita website, McCauley was 20 years old.
A celebration of life will be held on October 11 at 2 p.m. at the Floral Haven Rose Chapel in Broken Arrow, with a reception to follow.
McCauley was listed as a freshman goalie on the OKWU Eagles’ roster and had appeared in two matches this fall, not allowing a goal and making two saves. He played for more than 33 minutes in last Saturday’s shutout of Bethel (Kan.).
According to information from the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise in an article by Andy Dossett, Bartlesville police responded to a call Saturday regarding McCauley and emergency medical personnel transported him to a local hospital.
As of the E-E report on Sunday, police were still investigating and there had been no indication of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
There were gatherings at the start of the week to mourn the loss of McCauley and to support his family and friends.
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Following is a roundup of recent OKWU sports action.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University sports teams have wrapped up a Sizzling September and surge into an Optimistic October.
Lady Eagle volleyball players blazed through September with a 7-0 record to improve to 13-1 overall.
The Eagle men’s soccer team remains unbeaten (5-0-3) through the first two months, including a 3-0-1 mark in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
OKWU women’s soccer reached the end of the month with a 7-1-1 record while remaining unbeaten in conference (4-0-0).
Following are closer looks at each of the teams.
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LADY EAGLE VOLLEYBALL
Head coach: Tracie Gillette
Following an explosive 11-1 showing in non-conference matches, the Lady Eagles opened KCAC play with back-to-back wins against Ottawa (Kan.) University, 3-0, and Bethel (Kan.) College, 3-2.
Three OKWU hitters achieved double-digit kills against Ottawa — Evelyn Rohrberg (17), Maia Rubio (14) and Maria Andrea Santa Cruz Cossich (10).
Senior setter Sydney Collins — the national leader — registered another double-double (43 assists, 10 digs).
Maria Luisa Caycedo and Valeria Perez compiled 17 and 12 digs, respectively.
As one might expect in a five-set marathon match the Lady Eagles put up huge numbers against Bethel, led by Rohrberg with a chin-rubbing 26 kills and five digs.
Rubio chipped in with a sparkling 16-kill, 12-dig performance. Cossich delivered 17 kills and Tijana Stojiljovic hammered 12 kills with an ultra-impressive .500 hitting percentage.
Collins took the definition of astounding to a new dimension — 67 assists and 12 digs and, oh yeah, two service aces.
Other digs' leaders included Caycedo (23), Jordan Isbell (15) and Rubio (12). Isbell also served two aces.
OKWU opens October on the road Wednesday at Southwestern (Kan.) College and will be home at 2 p.m. Saturday against Tabor (Kan.) College.
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EAGLE SOCCER
Head coach: Jamie Peterson
The Eagles finished off September with a rousing 4-0 rout of Bethel (Kan.) College in conference action.
Carter Ligi lit up the scoreboard with two goals — the first assisted by Nemanja Vukovic, the second by Biel Campo.
Mateja Bozic notched the first (winning) goal with Juan Morenoh setting it up.
Adrian Mejia rounded out the Eagle net-benders off an assist from Ryunsokue Masuzuka.
For those keeping track, that’s seven different players directly involved in goal-scoring for OKWU.
Bozic unleashed a one-man barrage with four shots on goal, followed by Campo with three. Carson Papp and Ligi added two shots on goal, as did Vukovic. As a team, OKWU fired 17 shots on goal to keep the Bethel goalie under a tidal wave of pressure all match.
Christian McCauley and Stefan Schenk split time in goal and made a save apiece.
For the season Julian Tovar and Mejia lead OKWU in most goals with five and four apiece. Campo has racked up four assists.
Next up: OKWU plays host at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to Southwestern (Kan.) College and travels Saturday to Tabor (Kan.) College.
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LADY EAGLES SOCCER
Head coach: Ivan Ristic
OKWU couldn’t have ended September with a bigger exclamation point than a 10-0 dismantling of Bethel (Kan.) College.
Laura Gieseler unleashed one of the best offensive games in team history — six shots on goal and four goals — to lead the way. Nielsen Frederiekke came off the bench to record a hat-trick (three goals).
Rounding out OKWU’s goal-getters were Linn Joelsson, Kylie Reif and Marilia Constantinou with one apiece.
Three players handed out two assists apiece — Joelsson, Ana Chavez and Constantinou. Macy Butler recorded one assist.
Alessandra Martinez proved to be a steel wall at goalie — she made five saves to preserve the shutout.
Gieseler has erupted for 12 goals and Frederiekke six in the first nine matches. Chavez is third with five.