May 30, 2012

Complete Release | WCC on Twitter | WCC on Facebook | WCC on YouTube | WCC Official On-Line Store

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- After ripping 40 hits and posting a .417 batting average during conference play, Pepperdine junior second baseman Joe Sever has been named the 2012 West Coast Conference Player of the Year. In addition to Sever, the 2012 WCC champions earned two other individual awards, with shortstop Zach Vincej earning WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors, and head coach Steve Rodriguez being voted Coach of the Year. Gonzaga sophomore Marco Gonzales was named the Pitcher of the Year, and Portland hurler Travis Radke collected Freshman of the Year honors. Based on conference play, the awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.

Sever becomes the first Pepperdine player to be voted WCC Player of the Year since Eric Thames in 2008. Sever started all 24 conference games for the Waves in 2012, leading the West Coast Conference with 40 hits and a .417 batting average. Sever had a league-high 10 doubles, while compiling 56 total bases for the Waves. His .583 slugging percentage and .478 on-base percentage both placed him third in the conference. Overall, Sever started all 55 games for Pepperdine, posting a .370 average for the season.

Gonzaga's Marco Gonzales was selected Pitcher of the Year after putting together a stellar sophomore campaign on the mound. In six conference starts, Gonzales posted a 4-1 record with a miniscule 1.51 earned run average. Gonzales allowed just 29 hits and nine earned runs over 47.2 innings, walking 13 and striking out 53. Conference opponents hit just .182 against Gonzales - the 2011 Co-Freshman and Co-Player of the Year in the WCC. Gonzales is the third Bulldog to earn WCC Pitcher of the Year honors in the last four years, joining Ryan Carpenter in 2011 and Matt Fields in 2009.

Pepperdine junior shortstop Zach Vincej was named the 2012 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. As the Waves' starting shortstop, Vincej led the West Coast Conference with 81 assists, taking part in 14 double plays. He posted a .981 fielding percentage over 106 chances at shortstop. Vincej is the second Wave to be named Defensive Player of the Year, following Denny Duron in 2009.

Portland lefty Travis Radke is the 2012 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. Radke made eight conference starts, notching a 4-3 record with a 2.28 earned run average. The southpaw struck out 53 over 55.1 innings, while allowing just a .216 batting average against. Radke is the first Pilot to earn Freshman of the Year accolades from the WCC head coaches.

After leading his team to its first West Coast Conference title since 2006, Pepperdine head coach Steve Rodriguez has been named the 2012 WCC Coach of the Year by his peers. It is the first such honor for Rodriguez, and the first for the Pepperdine program since Frank Sanchez in 2003. After being picked to finish fifth in the coaches' pre-season poll, the 2012 Waves won 34 games, while posting a 16-8 conference mark.

The complete 2012 All-West Coast Conference Team follows.  

2012 ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM

Honorable Mention: Austin Bailey, San Diego; Adam Clear, San Francisco; Tony Cooper, Pepperdine; Zac Fujimoto, Loyola Marymount; Floyd Given, Pepperdine; Alex Guthrie, Loyola Marymount; Bryan Haar, San Diego; Steven Halcomb, Gonzaga; Austin Hall, BYU; Dillon Haupt, San Diego; Lucas Herbst, Santa Clara; Owen Jones, Portland; Louie Lechich, San Diego; Trevor Megill, Loyola Marymount; Corey Miller, Pepperdine; Mason Morioka, San Francisco; Tyler Olson, Gonzaga; Travis Radke, Portland; AJ Robinson, San Diego; Michael Wagner, San Diego; Alex Wolfe, BYU

2012 WEST COAST CONFERENCE ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Player of the Year:
Joe Sever, Pepperdine

Pitcher of the Year:
Marco Gonzales, Gonzaga

Defensive Player of the Year:
Zach Vincej, Pepperdine

Freshman of the Year:
Travis Radke, Portland

Coach of the Year:
Steve Rodriguez, Pepperdine