Christian Granted Sixth Year by NCAA

Oregon State senior safety Steven Christian has been granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA.

The native of Sacramento, Calif., missed the 2009 and '11 seasons while at the University of Hawai'i due to hip injuries. OSU officials submitted a waiver to the NCAA demonstrating that Christian lost both those seasons due to circumstances beyond his control. He transferred to OSU from Hawai'i prior to last season.

"The last year was an amazing experience for me," Christian said. "To be a part of a wonderful program with coaches such as Coach (Mike) Riley and Coach (Rod) Perry is an honor to have. Over these past eight months I have learned so much as a player and a person from both of them."

He played in seven games last season, making five tackles with one interceptions and a forced fumble.

Christian has already earned his bachelor's degree from Hawai'i in psychology, with an emphasis on neuroscience. He is currently in graduate school at OSU.

"I've grown real close to many of my teammates even though it hasn't been a full year," Christian added. "Having the opportunity to be a part of Beaver Nation for one more season will yield an even greater experience."

Christian played cornerback and free safety at Hawai'i from 2008-11. He is a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento, where among his honors he earned was All-Metro and a U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete.

Oregon State returns to the practice field April 1 for the start of spring drills in preparation for the 2013 season. The Beavers open the season Aug. 31 at home against Football Championship Series power Eastern Washington at Reser Stadium and also hosts Hawai'i, Stanford, USC, Washington and Colorado. If you're interested in becoming a new season ticket holder for 2013 please contact the OSU Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-BEAVS between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or visit BeaverTickets.com to place a $50 per seat deposit.