One player who made a major impact at Oregon State during his four year career
was linebacker Keaton Kristick. Forced into action early as a true freshman, Kristick
had to learn on the fly and in the end became a standout for the Beavers both
in the classroom and on the football field.

Hailing from Fountain Hills, Arizona, he had offers from Northwestern, California,
and Colorado State. He starred at St. Mary's and chose Oregon State after his
official visit in December of 2005.

"I chose Oregon State solely on the relationship that I built with Coach Cavanaugh," Kristick said. "Not only is Coach Cav a great coach who
develops his players year in and year out, but he's truly a genuine person."

Throughout his career, Kristick has been a part of some of the biggest wins
in the program history, including two wins against USC. While those wins stand
out on the football field, he also treasures his time off the field at Oregon
State as well.

"The USC game in 2008 was my favorite football memory," he said.
"A lot of us didn't really have much of an opportunity to play in much
of the game in 2006, so to accomplish what we did the second time around was
a little more special."