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.