Cameron Rutherford averaged 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season at Portland Community College. PHOTO: WWU Athletics
Portland CC Power Forward Cameron Retherford Signs with WWU Basketball
June 4, 2018
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University head men’s basketball coach Tony Dominguez has announced the first piece of a star-studded recruiting class, with junior college transfer Cameron Retherford set to join the Vikings beginning in the 2018-19 season.
Retherford, a Portland, Oregon native, is a 6-9 power forward out of Portland Community College and previously Benson High School. During his two-year junior college career at Portland CC, Retherford averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 0.91 blocks per game while appearing in 59 games (48 starts). He will be a junior in eligibility when he suits up for the Vikings beginning in 2018-19.
“We are excited to have Cameron join the Viking family. His versatility and size fits our system perfectly,” said Dominguez, who will be entering his 7th season leading the program and 24th overall at WWU. “He is a very motivated and talented player, he has a combination of tremendous athleticism and skill that is unique for his position. He also adds a sense of toughness along with his work ethic and we believe Cameron’s potential to be a very successful player, with immediate impact, is extremely high. We feel very fortunate to have Cameron join our program.”
During his sophomore season in 2017-18, Retherford averaged 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while being named First Team Northwest Athletic Conference All-Southern Region. He helped lead the Panthers to the NWAC Final Four, averaging 16.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in 3 tournament games. Portland CC won the NWAC Southern Division regular-season title with a 13-3 league mark.
Also during his strong sophomore campaign, Retherford was consistent scoring in double-digits in 27 of 32 games, including a string of 19 consecutive games to end the season. He tallied 10 double-doubles. As a freshman in 2016-17, he was named Second Team All-NWAC Southern Region averaging 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
A product of Portland’s Benson High School, Retherford earned Second Team Class 5A Portland Interscholastic Hybrid League All-Conference honors during his senior season in 2014. He was also a standout in track & field during his prep career, breaking the state meet record in the triple jump and placing 2nd in the long jump and 110m hurdles. He began his collegiate career at Texas Tech University where he was a member of the Red Raiders track & field team, placing 7th in the heptathlon at the 2015 Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships and 9th in the decathlon at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Also a standout in the classroom, Retherford earned the NWAC Academic Excellence Award in 2017-18 for maintaining a GPA of at least 3.25 and was a 2014 nominee for the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame Sportsperson of the Year Scholarship Award.
Retherford is the first of WWU’s recruiting class that will be announced this week that will debut in 2018-19. Additional signing announcements will be made over the next few days.
