PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots soccer players Joe Highfield and Violet Rademacher have been named the 2025-26 Fr. Chester Prusynski Student-Athletes of the Year.
The award recognizes the two top student-athletes – one on the men's side and one on the women's – from the past academic year for Pilot Athletics. The award is the most prestigious University honor for student-athletes, with the name of the award changed in 2010 to honor Rev. Chester Prusynski, C.S.C, a bastion of the University community and an ardent supporter of Pilot Athletics for almost 50 years.
Highfield was the driving force for a Pilots team that finished the year 14-2-4 for the best winning percentage since 1988 and made it all the way to the Elite Eight. Highfield's dominant season helped him become the 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft.
Last season, Highfield led the Pilots in scoring with 11 goals and five assists for 27 points. He was second in the WCC in both goals and points, ranking 19th and 18th nationally in the two respective categories. His four game-winning goals were 16th in the nation as well. In two years, he's scored 18 goals, which is the most by a Pilot in their first two years of play since Benji Michel in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Highfield earned numerous honors for his electric year on the pitch. He was an All-WCC First Team selection for the second year in a row and a United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team pick. He was also named a Third Team All-American by United Soccer Coaches.
Rademacher boosted the Pilots to a 10-3-6 overall record and the second place finish in the WCC which was the program's highest since 2013. Rademacher led the Pilots in minutes played (1,710), goals (7) and points (15). Rademacher was the leader of a defensive group that allowed just 12 goals all season, good for the second lowest total in the WCC. Rademacher helped the Pilots to a .632 goals against average which was 17th in the country.
She was selected to the 2025 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American Third Team and was the first scholar All-American for Portland since Kendra Chandhoke in 2009. She made the All-WCC First Team and was selected to the All-West Region Team while finishing 6th in the WCC in goals.
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