Oregon athletes win 'Most Valuable Patriot' award after refusing to share podium with trans competitor

Two Oregon pistillate athletes were honored astatine the seventh yearly Fox Nation Patriot Awards connected Thursday nighttime for their determination to talk retired successful enactment of women’s rights successful sports aft refusing to basal connected a podium alongside a transgender hostile — a determination neither miss realized would go portion of the nationalist discourse.

Alexa Anderson, a freshman competing successful the rod vault astatine the University of South Alabama, and Reese Eckard, a subordinate of the Biola University women’s way and tract team, were awarded the "Most Valuable Patriot Award" astatine Thursday night’s ceremonial successful Brookville, New York, aft they refused to basal connected the podium successful the Oregon State Activities Association’s girls precocious leap last successful May, aft a transgender pupil placed 5th successful the event.

Oregon girls' way and tract jock Alexa Anderson. (Courtesy of Alexa Anderson)

In a suit filed aft the incident, the girls claimed they were excluded from authoritative photos and that their medals were withheld.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"I’m truthful incredibly grateful, and nary of this would've been imaginable without the enactment of each azygous 1 of you who has seen our story, who has shared it and brought our communicative and our combat into the nationalist spotlight," Anderson said during her acceptance speech.

"I privation to commencement disconnected by thanking God. I convey God that you’re each present tonight. I convey God that He gave Alexa and I the courageousness to basal for truth," Eckard added successful hers. "There are truthful galore girls that merit this grant for their courage."

Reese Eckard and Alexa Anderson judge the Most Valuable Patriot Award from Will Cain and Martha MacCallum onstage during the 2025 Fox Nation Patriot Awards astatine Tilles Center for the Performing Arts successful Greenvale, New York, connected Nov. 6, 2025. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

The 2 precocious schoolhouse way stars, who person continued successful their athletics astatine the collegiate level, joined "Fox & Friends" Friday greeting to sermon the grant and the interaction that determination has had connected their lives and the combat for women’s rights.

OREGON GIRLS WHO WENT VIRAL FOR REFUSING TO STAND ON PODIUM WITH TRANS ATHLETE FILE LAWSUIT

"To get that grant was honestly conscionable specified an honor. It was ne'er thing that I thought would hap erstwhile we stepped disconnected that podium," Anderson said.

She said that, reflecting connected the determination to talk out, she "100%" believes it was worthy it.

"I deliberation warring for the rights of women’s sports to person a harmless and just situation is going to beryllium a combat we’re going to beryllium a portion of for years – possibly adjacent our lifetime. And it’s truthful incredibly worthy it if we tin assistance each these girls to person a harmless and just environment."

Oregon girls' way and tract athletes Reese Eckard and Alexa Anderson don't basal connected a medal podium adjacent to a trans opponent. (Courtesy of America First Policy Institute)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Eckard echoed that sentiment.

"It’s conscionable brainsick to beryllium capable to basal up for each the girls who are trying to vie astatine – successful conscionable precocious schoolhouse oregon college– conscionable knowing that we fought truthful hard to support women’s rights successful sports and to beryllium capable to accidental that we took a stand, is conscionable amazing."

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.