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West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year

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WCC Women's Basketball Player of the Year
Awarded forthe most outstanding basketball player in the West Coast Conference
CountryUnited States
First award1986
Currently held byYvonne Ejim, Gonzaga

The West Coast Conference (WCC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the most outstanding women's basketball player in the West Coast Conference. The award has been given ever since the conference first sponsored women's basketball in the 1985–86 season, when it was known as the West Coast Athletic Conference. There have been two ties in the history of the award. The first was in 2006–07 between Stephanie Hawk of Gonzaga and Amanda Rego of Santa Clara (coincidentally, players from the same two schools were involved in a tie for the WCC Men's Player of the Year Award that season[1]). The second was in 2020–21, when BYU's Shaylee Gonzales and Gonzaga's Jenn Wirth shared honors. There have also been a total of five repeat winners, but only one—Courtney Vandersloot of Gonzaga—has been Player of the Year three times.

No one WCC school has dominated the total awards distribution over time. The overall leader is Gonzaga, with 13 awards; BYU is next with seven, while Saint Mary's and Santa Clara have five each. Of these schools, all but BYU, which joined the WCC in 2011 and left for the Big 12 Conference in 2023, have been WCC members throughout the conference's women's basketball history. Each current full WCC member except for Pacific has at least one award. Pacific had been a charter member of what is now the WCC, but left in 1971, long before the conference sponsored women's sports, and did not return until 2013.

The only former WCC women's basketball member that failed to produce an award winner is Nevada, which only participated in the conference's first two women's basketball seasons (1985–86 and 1986–87). Oregon State and Washington State, which have also not produced a winner, joined as associate members in 2024–25 after the collapse of their full-time home of the Pac-12 Conference;[2] they will leave when the Pac-12 adds several new members in 2026. Seattle, which had left the WCC in 1980, well before the conference sponsored women's basketball, will return in 2025 and play its first WCC women's basketball season in 2025–26.

Key

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† Co-Players of the Year
* Awarded a national Player of the Year award:
the Naismith College Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award, or Wade Trophy
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has received the Player of the Year award

Winners

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Gonzaga's Courtney Vandersloot, the only three-time winner, is also the first NCAA Division I player of either sex with 2,000 points and 1,000 assists in a career.
Season Player School Position Class Reference
1985–86 Sonya Carter U.S. International Freshman
1986–87 Teri Hunt San Francisco Senior
1987–88 Dorinda Lindstrom Santa Clara Senior
1988–89 Anja Bordt Saint Mary's Sophomore
1989–90 Anja Bordt (2) Saint Mary's Junior
1990–91 Melissa King Santa Clara Sophomore
1991–92 Martha Sheldon Portland Senior
1992–93 Melissa King (2) Santa Clara Senior
1993–94 Christine Silvernall[3][4] Santa Clara Senior
1994–95 Amy Claboe Portland Senior
1995–96 Laura Sale Portland Senior
1996–97 Deana Lansing Portland Senior
1997–98 Lisa Sacco Santa Clara Senior
1998–99 Tracy Morris Saint Mary's Junior
1999–2000 Rasheeda Clark Pepperdine Junior
2000–01 Jermisha Dosty Saint Mary's Junior
2001–02 Jerkisha Dosty Saint Mary's Senior
2002–03 Tamara McDonald Pepperdine Senior
2003–04 Kate Murray Loyola Marymount Senior
2004–05 Shannon Matthews Gonzaga Senior
2005–06 Michelle Cozad Santa Clara Senior
2006–07† Stephanie Hawk Gonzaga Senior
Amanda Rego San Diego Junior
2007–08 Heather Bowman Gonzaga Sophomore
2008–09 Courtney Vandersloot Gonzaga PG Sophomore
2009–10 Courtney Vandersloot (2) Gonzaga PG Junior
2010–11 Courtney Vandersloot (3) Gonzaga PG Senior
2011–12 Kristen Riley BYU F Senior [5]
2012–13 Taelor Karr Gonzaga SG Senior [6]
2013–14 Jennifer Hamson BYU C Senior [7]
2014–15 Morgan Bailey BYU F Senior [8]
2015–16 Lexi Rydalch BYU G Senior [9]
2016–17 Cassie Broadhead BYU G Junior [10]
2017–18 Jill Barta Gonzaga F Junior [11]
2018–19 Yasmine Robinson-Bacote Pepperdine F Senior [12]
2019–20 Jill Townsend Gonzaga G Junior [13]
2020–21† Shaylee Gonzales BYU G Sophomore [14]
Jenn Wirth Gonzaga F Senior [14]
2021–22 Shaylee Gonzales (2) BYU G Sophomore[a] [15]
2022–23 Kaylynne Truong Gonzaga G Senior [16]
2023–24 Yvonne Ejim Gonzaga F Senior [17]
2024–25 Yvonne Ejim (2) Gonzaga F 5th-year senior[b] [18]
  1. ^ Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA ruled that the 2020–21 season would not count against the eligibility of any basketball player. BYU chose not to change the academic classifications for any of its returning basketball players, including Gonzales, in the 2021–22 season.
  2. ^ Ejim, whose college career started in 2020–21, took advantage of the COVID-19 eligibility waiver to play in a fifth college season.

Winners by school

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Note: Years of entry for each school are the actual calendar years they joined the WCC and first played women's basketball in the conference. Because the basketball season spans two calendar years, the award years reflect the years in which each season ended. Schools that have left the WCC are highlighted in italics.

School Joined WCC
as full member 		Joined WCC
women's basketball 		Winners Years
Gonzaga 1979 1987[19] 13 2005, 2007†, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2020, 2021†, 2023, 2024, 2025
BYU 2011 2011[20][a] 7 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021†, 2022
Saint Mary's 1952 1987[22] 5 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2002
Santa Clara 1952 1985[23] 5 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2006
Portland 1976 1987[24] 4 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997
Pepperdine 1955 1985[25] 3 2000, 2003, 2019
Loyola Marymount 1955 1985[26] 1 2004
San Diego 1979 1985[27] 1 2007†
San Francisco 1952 1985[28] 1 1987
U.S. International — 1985[b] 1 1986
Nevada — 1985[c] 0 —
Oregon State — 2024[d] 0 —
Pacific 1952/2013[e] 2013 0 —
Washington State — 2024[d] 0 —

Footnotes

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  1. ^ BYU left the WCC after the 2022–23 season to join the Big 12 Conference.[21]
  2. ^ U.S. International joined the then-WCAC as an affiliate member in women's basketball when the conference began sponsoring the sport. It left the conference after the 1986–87 season. Within four years of its departure from the WCAC, the school went bankrupt and dropped intercollegiate athletics.
  3. ^ The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada), which had left the then-WCAC in 1979 for the Big Sky Conference, rejoined the WCAC as a women's sports affiliate in 1985. The Wolf Pack left after the 1986–87 season for the Mountain West Athletic Conference, a women's-only conference that was absorbed by the Big Sky Conference and is not to be confused with the Wolf Pack's current all-sports home, the Mountain West Conference.[29]
  4. ^ a b Oregon State University and Washington State University joined the WCC as multi-sport affiliates, including basketball, after the 2024 collapse of the Pac-12 Conference. They will leave after the 2025–26 season when the Pac-12 adds at least six new members, one being current full WCC member Gonzaga.
  5. ^ The University of the Pacific was a founding member of the California Basketball Association, later the WCAC and now the WCC, in 1952. Pacific left the conference in 1971 to join its football team in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, now the Big West Conference. After dropping football in 1995, Pacific rejoined the WCC in 2013.[30][31]

References

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General
  • Names of winners through 2010–11: "Awards and Honors: WCC Honors by Year" (PDF). 2010–11 Women's Basketball Year in Review. West Coast Conference. p. 62. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  • Class years of winners through 2010–11: "Awards and Honors: All-Conference Teams" (PDF). 2010–11 Women's Basketball Year in Review. West Coast Conference. p. 63. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
Specific
  1. ^ "WCC Individual Honors" (PDF). 2012–13 West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Record Book. West Coast Conference. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 20, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  2. ^ "West Coast Conference Adds Oregon State and Washington State as Affiliate Members" (Press release). West Coast Conference. December 22, 2023. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Players of the Year can be found in two different places in the referenced WCC record book—in the dedicated list on page 62, and designated in the list of All-Conference players on page 63. The 1993–94 season is the only one in which the two designations disagree. Silvernall is included in the dedicated list of Players of the Year; in addition, Santa Clara claims her as WCC Player of the Year in its official record book.
  4. ^ "Honors and Awards: Athletic Honors" (PDF). Santa Clara Broncos Women's Basketball Records & History, 2012–13. Santa Clara University Sports Information. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  5. ^ "2011–12 West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Weekly Release: March 27, 2012" (PDF) (Press release). West Coast Conference. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  6. ^ "West Coast Conference Announces 2013 Women's Basketball All-Conference Team" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  7. ^ "WCC Announces Women's Basketball All-Conference Team" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  8. ^ "WCC Announces Women's Basketball All-Conference Team" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 3, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "WCC Announces Women's Basketball All-Conference Team" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  10. ^ "WCC Women's Basketball 2017 All-Conference Team Announced" (Press release). West Coast Conference. February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  11. ^ "WCC Women's Basketball 2018 All-Conference Team Announced" (Press release). West Coast Conference. February 27, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  12. ^ "WCC Women's Basketball 2019 All-Conference Team Announced" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "2020 WBB All-WCC Team Announced" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "WCC Announces 2020-21 Women's Basketball All-Conference Honors" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  15. ^ "Gonzalez Named WCC Player of the Year" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "WCC Announces 2022-23 Women's Basketball All-Conference Awards" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  17. ^ "WCC Announces 2023-24 Women's Basketball All-Conference Awards" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  18. ^ "Yvonne Ejim Named West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year For The Second Consecutive Year" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  19. ^ "2012–13 Gonzaga Women's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Gonzaga University Sports Information. Retrieved March 11, 2013. See "Gonzaga Year-by-Year" table on page 29 and full "Year-by-Year Results" on Page 42.
  20. ^ "BYU Becomes Ninth Member of West Coast Conference" (Press release). West Coast Conference. July 1, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  21. ^ "Big 12 Extends Membership Invitations" (Press release). Big 12 Conference. September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  22. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2012–13 Saint Mary's Women's Basketball Records. Saint Mary's College Sports Information. p. 78. Retrieved March 13, 2013. Note: The content of Page 78 is duplicated on Page 79.
  23. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2012–13 Santa Clara Women's Basketball Records. Santa Clara University Sports Information. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  24. ^ "Season Summaries" (PDF). 2012–13 Portland Pilots Women's Basketball History & Records. University of Portland Sports Information. p. 17. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  25. ^ "2012–13 Pepperdine Women's Basketball Records Book". Pepperdine University Sports Information. p. 3. Retrieved March 14, 2013. Click the thumbnail on the left side of the page to access the virtual book.
  26. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2012–13 LMU Women's Basketball Record Book. Loyola Marymount University Sports Information. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  27. ^ "Team Records: Torero Women's Basketball Year-by-Year". 2012–13 San Diego Toreros Women's Basketball Media Guide. University of San Diego Sports Information. p. 113. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  28. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2010–11 San Francisco Dons Women's Basketball Almanac. University of San Francisco Sports Information. p. 49. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  29. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2012–13 Nevada Women's Basketball Information Guide. University of Nevada, Reno Sports Information. p. 55. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  30. ^ "University of the Pacific accepts invitation to join West Coast Conference in 2013-14 academic Year" (Press release). West Coast Conference. March 28, 2012. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  31. ^ Dhillon, Jagdip (March 29, 2012). "Tigers back 'home'". The Record. Stockton, California. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
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