After one year at Penn State, graduate David Locke is off to a new home.

Locke announced his commitment to Bradley on Monday via Instagram, after one year at Penn State and four years at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.

In the 2024-25 season, Locke competed solely in the 800-meters, where he ran a season-best 1:47.47 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in February.

Before competing at Penn State, the Caerphilly, Wales, native set one of the ten fastest 800m times in Welsh history, running 1:46.41.

MORE TRACK AND FIELD COVERAGE

SAN BRUNO, Calif. – At the conclusion of each academic year, the West Coast Conference announces its major individual year-end honors as a celebration of the best and brightest to represent the Conference and its member institutions.
 
Today, the West Coast Conference is pleased to announce the 2024-2025 Commissioner’s Cup winner, All-Sports Award winners, Mike Gilleran WCC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, Postgraduate Scholarship recipients and the WCC Champion of Change Award winners.
 
2024-2025 West Coast Conference Awards
Commissioner’s Cup
Santa Clara

Men’s All-Sports Award

San Diego

Women’s All-Sports Award

Pepperdine

West Coast Conference Male Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year 

Massimo Oedekoven Pomponi, LMU Men’s Soccer

West Coast Conference Female Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year 

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga Women’s Basketball

West Coast Conference Male Postgraduate Scholarship 

Chris Swider, Gonzaga Men’s Soccer

West Coast Conference Female Postgraduate Scholarship 

Katie Newton, Portland Women’s Cross Country

West Coast Conference Champion of Change Award 

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga Women’s Basketball

The West Coast Conference Commissioner’s Cup is an all-sports award presented at the end of each academic year to the league’s top performing school in conference play and is based on a point system, reflecting the finish of each team in conference play. The institution with the highest point total after combining the men’s and women’s point totals is honored with the Commissioner’s Cup. Stretching back to the 2001-02 school year, the Commissioner’s Cup has become an annual tradition celebrating West Coast Conference athletic excellence. 

Santa Clara won the West Coast Conference Commissioner’s Cup for the third time in school history and the first time since 2006-07. The Broncos first won the award in 2004-05. The Broncos shared the conference titles in women’s soccer and softball. The Broncos also came in second in beach volleyball, finished in a three-way tie for second in men’s tennis, took third at the women’s golf championships and advanced to match play at the men’s golf championships. 

This marks the second straight year in which Pepperdine has won the Women’s All-Sports Award and the seventh time in school history the Waves have won this award. During the 2024-25 season, the Waves shared the conference championships in women’s soccer and women’s tennis. Pepperdine also claimed second place in women’s golf, tied for second in volleyball and finished third in beach volleyball. 

San Diego won the Men’s All-Sports Award for the second straight year and the third time since 2014-15. This also marks the fifth time in program history the Toreros won this award. USD won the Conference championships in baseball, men’s soccer and men’s tennis. 

2024-25 West Coast Conference Commissioner’s Cup Standings

Men’s All-Sports Award Standings      

Women’s All-Sports Award Standings

MIKE GILLERAN SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

The Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year is selected by a vote of the West Coast Conference’s Executive Council to recognize the finest accomplishments in athletics, academics and community service by individuals who have completed their collegiate eligibility. The award is named in honor of the conference’s first full-time commissioner, Mike Gilleran.

 

Massimo Oedekoven Pomponi, LMU Men’s Soccer

Massimo Oedekoven Pomponi played in 28 matches with 27 starts as the Lions’ goalkeeper the past two seasons. During that span, he recorded a 1.27 goals-against average and collected 115 saves and a save percentage of 76.7.

Pomponi was key contributor during LMU’s first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in program history during the 2023 season, posting shutouts against UCLA and James Madison in the NCAA Tournament. He finished the 2023 season with a 7-1-1 record against top-40 programs, earning West Coast Conference and National Goalkeeper of the Week honors during the campaign. Pomponi was named LMU’s breakthrough athlete of the year in 2023. He was also part of the squad that captured the 2021 West Coast Conference championship.

Pomponi was a member of LMU’s Dean’s list and a student-athlete scholar every semester. He also earned recognition as member of the Chi Alpha Omega honor society and the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. He graduated summa cum laude, boasting a 3.9 cumulative grade point average with a degree in finance.

As part of his work in finance, Pomponi interned at Wells Fargo, FT Partners and Deloitte. He was the Deloitte Audit Innovation Campus Challenge national champion and participated in the LMU student-investment fund. He was a two-year leader of the Lion Club Fund. Pomponi also volunteered his time at the LA Food Bank the past four years. He served as a student-athlete mentor and was part of the LMU Societies Membership Group.

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga Women’s Basketball

Yvonne Ejim is one of the greatest women’s basketball players in Gonzaga and West Coast Conference history.

This past year, she was one of five active players to record at least 2,000 points and at least 1,000 rebounds. Ejim finished her career as the program leader with 2,385 career points, 1,140 career rebounds, 970 career field goals and a 55.1 field goal percentage. Ejim also broke Gonzaga’s single-season scoring and rebounding record with 726 points and 325 rebounds in 2024-25. She finished second in West Coast Conference history in career scoring overall. Prior to her record-shattering senior season, the Calgary, Alberta, Canada native earned a spot on Canada’s Olympic Team and competed in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

Ejim graduated as a three-time West Coast Conference all-academic honoree and a two-time academic All-American. She was a member of the Dean’s list four times and was a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete honor society, graduating with a degree in human physiology and a minor in psychology.

 

WEST COAST CONFERENCE POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS

To be eligible for a WCC Postgraduate Scholarship, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, demonstrate significant athletic contributions to his or her sport for a minimum of two years, and have a record of participation in campus or community activities. He or she also must submit a personal statement of intention to attend graduate or professional school for which this scholarship would be awarded.

 

Chris Swider, Gonzaga Men’s Soccer

A standout on the pitch for Gonzaga men’s soccer, Chris Swider finished his career with nine goals and three assists during his career as a Bulldog in over 45 appearances. He graduated last month with a degree in human physiology to go along with numerous academic honors. Swider plans to attend the University of Washington School of Medicine beginning in the fall of 2026 with the intention of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. His career aspiration stems from the rigorous efforts by a student-athlete to compete at a high level and the musculoskeletal function and injury rehabilitation involved. Swider founded a non-profit organization called Dream On 3, which specializes in providing children with life-altering conditions support towards a sport-related dream. Swider’s goal as an orthopedic surgeon is to restore the health and mobility of patients of all ages and contribute to a field that combines his passions of medicine, sports and meaningful patient care. 

Katie Newton, Portland Women’s Cross Country

Katie Newton has consistently been named to Portland’s Dean’s list. A two-time West Coast Conference all-academic honoree in cross country, Newton received Portland’s William and Lavina Wilson Award, presented to the outstanding student in chemistry. She graduated last month with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and minored in mathematics with a 3.97 cumulative grade point average. Newton served as the president of Portland’s student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) and the chair of the West Coast Conference SAAC. She also represented Portland and the conference on the national student-athlete advisory committee. Newton was a four-year member of Portland’s student-advisory board honors program and was part of the student-athlete mentorship program on campus. Newton was admitted to the ultra-competitive PhD program at Brown University and will pursue a PhD in therapeutic sciences starting this fall. She aspires to use her background in chemistry and math to solve problems related to human health, specifically neurological disorders.

West Coast Conference Champion Of Change Award

The West Coast Conference Champion of Change Award recognizes an individual student-athlete or group of student-athletes that have made strides to advance the West Coast Conference’s We are Committed to Change platform by making a consistent and positive impact to their institution’s student-athlete experience.

 

Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga Women’s Basketball

Not only a standout on the basketball court, Yvonne Ejim made a tremendous impact in her community during her time at Gonzaga. As a member of Gonzaga’s student-athlete advisory committee, Ejim was elected as the chair of Gonzaga’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion group the past three years, leading members of the student-athlete advisory committee in activities that engage the community and provide educational experiences on campus about underrepresented groups. She collaborated with the athletic department and cultural clubs to amplify voices on issues of representation. Ejim also represented Gonzaga in the community, visiting local transitional living facilities for families experiencing financial hardship, lifting the spirits of many. Ejim was a standout in the classroom, as well, making the Dean’s list and being named a West Coast Conference all-academic honoree, also becoming the first Academic All-American in Gonzaga women’s basketball history. She earned her degree in human physiology and intends to pursue medical school when her basketball career is over.

Whether it was pushing himself to excel in a wide variety of events, adjusting to the collegiate system or making his dream of competing in the U.S. a reality, Campre has always pushed for more.

He came to Miami looking to challenge himself and earn a degree while getting stronger and competing at a high level.

He’s followed a path similar to that of his good friend, former Hurricanes record-breaking thrower Decio Andrade.

Andrade, who also hails from Portugal, encouraged Campre to consider not just competing and studying in the United States, but doing so at Miami, telling his friend about the opportunities and support he’d get as part of the Hurricanes program.

Campre, who initially considered beginning his professional career once he got out of high school in Portugal, opted to give college in the States a try.

He’s had no regrets since.

“The ability to train and at the same time go to school, it’s really good. That was one of the things that motivated me because in Portugal, if you do track and at the same time try to study, it’s hard,” said Campre, who is pursuing a degree in finance. “Professors don’t always collaborate with you when you have a track meet. Here in the United States, it’s something that is more normal and professors understand and help you. That’s one of the things that made me want to come to Miami and to the United States.”

Now, Campre wants to continue making the most of the opportunities in front of him.

He’d like to qualify to represent Portugal at this year’s world championships in September. And before that, he’d like to finally bring home the NCAA title that he’s already come so close to winning.

There are a few more simple goals, too.

“I want to keep raising the school record,” Campre said. “And make all my coaches proud.”

It’s safe to say he’s already done the latter.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 4, 2025) — Following official approval from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), LA28 has unveiled its updated Paralympic Venue Plan—marking a major milestone for adaptive sport and reinforcing Southern California’s legacy as a global hub for inclusive, athlete-centered competition.

Sitting volleyball will be hosted at the Arena in Long Beach, a decision that aligns with LA28’s commitment to elevating visibility, fostering community, and providing elite athletes with a world-class stage.

Both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sitting Volleyball National Teams have qualified for the LA28 Paralympic Games. The women’s team will return as three-time defending gold medalists, while the men’s team will make its first Paralympic appearance since Rio 2016.

“The Arena in Long Beach is a world-class venue that will help elevate the sport of sitting volleyball and create a stage worthy of our athletes’ dedication and excellence,” said Bill Hamiter, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team and director of sitting volleyball at USA Volleyball. “We’re grateful to LA28 for its commitment to accessibility and representation.”

With iconic venues, a passionate fan base, and a city ready to welcome the world, LA28 promises not only an unforgettable Paralympic Games—but also a sitting volleyball experience that will inspire, unite and leave a lasting legacy.

“Having both Olympic beach volleyball and Paralympic volleyball disciplines showcased in Long Beach is a tremendous moment for the sport,” said John Speraw, president and CEO of USA Volleyball. “I know this environment will energize athletes and fans alike.”

As sitting volleyball returns to the global stage in 2028, the sport is poised to spark new fandom, empower future generations of adaptive athletes, and redefine excellence—both on and off the court.

For more information on the LA28 Paralympic Venue Plan, visit paralympic.org.

VALLETTA, Malta, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meridianbet, the sports betting and iGaming division of Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), a leading developer and licensor of B2B and B2C gaming platforms, today announced the signing of a two-year exclusive sponsorship agreement with the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta (ASA), the official governing body for water polo, swimming, and artistic swimming in Malta.

https://x.com/meridianbet_ofc/status/1930301567808241688

Under the terms of the agreement, Meridianbet becomes the exclusive betting partner of ASA, gaining integrated brand exposure across ASA events, digital platforms, and physical venues. The sponsorship includes the launch of the branded national cup competition – Meridianbet Super Cup, as well as LED road signage, scoreboard branding, and apparel sponsorships across Malta’s aquatic sports federations.

“Water polo and aquatic sports are a vital part of Malta’s sporting culture,” said Stefan Pavlovic, Malta territory director at Meridianbet. “This partnership reflects our continued commitment to supporting national sports ecosystems, building long-term brand visibility in regulated markets, and delivering value to fans, players, local institutions and shareholders.”

The ASA partnership builds on Meridianbet’s growing sponsorship portfolio across 25+ international jurisdictions, where it supports sports ranging from football, basketball and MMA to eSports and grassroots competitions.

This announcement also aligns with Meridianbet’s broader ESG strategy. In 2024 alone, the company conducted 293 community engagement initiatives, reaching over 18,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries through education, healthcare, sports, and advocacy programs.

Key Highlights of the Deal:

• Meridianbet named exclusive betting partner of Malta’s ASA (governing body for water polo, swimming, artistic swimming)
• Launch of the Meridianbet Super Cup
• Brand exposure via LED ads, digital platforms, and team apparel

To learn more about Meridianbet’s community impact programs, visit https://ir.meridianbet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Meridianbet-Global-ESG-Report-2024.pdf

About Meridianbet

Founded in 2001, Meridianbet Group is a well-established online sports betting and gaming group, licensed and currently operating in 18 jurisdictions across Europe, Africa, and South America. The Meridianbet Group’s successful business model utilizes proprietary technology and scalable systems, allowing it to operate in multiple countries and currencies with an omni-channel approach to markets, including retail, desktop online, and mobile. The Company is part of the Golden Matrix Group (Nasdaq: GMGI).

For more information, visit

IR Presentation – https://ir.meridianbet.com

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeridianbetIR

Twitter – https://twitter.com/meridianbet_ofc

Email: ir@meridianbet.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f8d3f241-ca1d-488d-9231-de2f04d214f4

ESPN is facing down the barrel of a self-made paradox: the company’s upcoming full-service streaming platform, creatively named “ESPN,” might accelerate cord-cutting while potentially making streaming more expensive for consumers. ESPN isn’t doing this out of spite or stupidity, though. Cable still throws off billions in revenue for a select few networks ($10.5 billion for ESPN in 2024). But the industry faces its last gasps. Since 2011, ESPN has lost 37 million subscribers, per State of the Screens, while the number of U.S. TV viewers who don’t subscribe to pay-TV will soon surpass the number who do. Remaining in the pay-TV bundle without a digital succession plan offers about as much viability as Bob Iger’s failed torch-passing. ESPN’s streaming launch serves as a bellwether for the business that could either consolidate sports streaming or fragment it further. Either way, its success or failure will directly impact you, dear consumer. 

ESPN+, the brand’s first real foray into streaming in 2018, boasts 25 million subscribers. However, most subscribers access the service through the Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+), and many remain inactive. Still, for those that do engage with the streamer’s second-tier offerings, where linear ESPN’s primary live sports aren’t available, the platform proves that demand exists. 

ESPN+ showed that hungry fans will watch sports anywhere, but “left consumers wanting more in terms of live premium content,” Ryan Schreiber, founder and CEO of streaming aggregator Streamline, told Observer. In that way, ESPN+ served as a “soft launch” that revealed that “loyalty is shaped less by heritage than by habitual usability,” Lyric Mandell, Director of Media and Public Relations at MOXY Company, said. The platform helped the company understand audience behavior in an entirely new viewing environment that they controlled. Disney gathered comprehensive data on personalization preferences, consumption habits and price sensitivity.

Owning the direct-to-consumer relationship this way, instead of letting Comcast or Spectrum control it, provides invaluable data and user behavior insights. 

Sports streaming is getting “more expensive and messier.”

ESPN priced its service at $29.99 per month. Disney priced it high enough that cable providers don’t revolt over immediate cannibalization. But does the price prove too costly for price-conscious cord-cutters and cord-nevers? After all, this holds the distinction of being the most expensive monthly subscription among all the other prominent streamers. 

Schreiber thinks the bundle offer—in which $29.99 will include Disney+, Hulu and ESPN for new sign-ups in the first 12 months—will help convince consumers to hop aboard. That is admittedly a nice value. 

Mandell notes that sports content pricing represents “scarcity value in an age of digital abundance.” ESPN owns only so many major live sports broadcast rights and controls many marquee titles: Monday Night Football, some NBA, some NHL, some MLB (for one more season), UFC, various NCAA rights, etc. Any sports fan seeking access to major events likely needs ESPN. But the company doesn’t own all the sports rights. 

ESPN isn’t the sole broadcaster for the NFL, NBA, MLB, March Madness or the College Football Playoffs. Not by a long shot. ESPN alone will never host a Super Bowl (though corporate sibling network ABC will). To watch all sports from America’s Big Four leagues requires a waterfall of different subscriptions and payments. As Schreiber noted, “it’s all getting more expensive and messier.” 

Disney’s long game

ESPN executives aim to transform the brand into the go-to digital hub for all sports content, including competitors’. Think of how Roku, Apple and Amazon devices serve as the mechanism through which you subscribe to and engage with other apps. Becoming the tech backbone of the sports broadcast industry represents a wonderful ambition. This approach would simplify the user experience for you and me watching at home, which offers immense value. But the strategy may not be entirely realistic. 

“It feels pretty unlikely. I think we are just headed for more fragmentation,” Schreiber said. Mandell echoes this sentiment, noting that “platform convergence” of this scale requires negotiations of “not just rights, but semiotic space.” Other brands will demand their identities remain preserved and data firewalls maintained. Technical fluidity favors Netflix over Disney, and juggling that many agendas would challenge any corporate umbrella. 

Disney’s higher-ups know that this aggregation pipedream is unlikely to come to fruition. But converting the company’s brand power into digital engagement is crucial for its future as it evolves from pure storytelling to ecosystem building. 

ESPN serves as Disney’s “most immediate conduit to live cultural relevance,” Mandell said. The company doesn’t just want you to watch games and then sever your connection. It wants you to watch the NFL, play fantasy football, bet on the Washington Commanders through ESPN Bet, ingest analysis from its NFL reporters, buy merchandise, and live and breathe all on its own platform for as long as it can keep you. This transcends just sports entertainment. Disney pursues the goal of developing habitual lifestyle patterns. 

So, what does success look like for ESPN’s streaming future? Schreiber estimates that streaming ESPN can get 100 million subscribers in its first three years. In the medium term, or five years out, we’ll want to get a strong grasp of platform stickiness and integration into daily routines. Success will no longer depend solely on how many customers sign up, but on how long ESPN retains them and how long they remain on-platform. 

At the 10-year mark, “ESPN should aim to become a meta-platform, shaping the norms and logics of how live sports are accessed, discussed, and monetized,” Mandell said. This would represent a “symbolic dominance” that stretches beyond just revenue and subscriber figures. This is akin to Netflix’s position as the default streaming entertainment service. 

A new course for sports media

Live sports are the primary reason remaining pay-TV subscribers haven’t cut the cord. But the launch of ESPN and Fox’s upcoming streamer, Fox One, suggests that traditional pay-TV faces a more definitive end. However, whether streaming can truly replace the experience of TV is another question entirely. 

“Live sports continues to dominate television – from brands and advertisers to what audiences are showing up to consume on a live basis,” Raquel Braun, co-founder of media consulting agency Mulier Fortis, told Observer. “Therefore, one of the keys will be how frictionless of an experience can ESPN provide to sports fans – whether they’re current cable subscribers who want to access content via ESPN’s new service, ESPN+ users who want a more robust experience, or new customers who are looking for the best and deepest bench of sports content they can find in one place.”

By the same token, can streaming ESPN chart new courses in sports media? Visibility sets the conversational agenda at the national level. “With women’s sports drawing growing audiences but receiving just 15 percent of media coverage, ESPN has a chance to reshape what counts as central in the sports narrative,” Mandell noted. 

Make no mistake about it—ESPN’s transition represents a defining moment for sports media. ESPN’s move to streaming and its consequences will matter at the financial, corporate, consumer and cultural levels. The outcome will help decide who wins in the ongoing battle between the frictionless desires of audiences and the reality of market fragmentation. Whether ESPN can bridge this gap as a true epicenter of sports or whether we’re destined to scramble about to watch everything we want while being gouged by high costs remains to be seen.