SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, 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 2022-2023 Commissioner’s Cup winner, All-Sports Award winners, Mike Gilleran WCC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, Postgraduate Scholarship recipients, WCC Sportsmanship Award winners and the #WCCRepresent Award winners.
2022-2023 WCC YEAR-END MAJOR HONORS
Commissioner’s Cup
BYU
Men’s All-Sports Award
LMU
Women’s All-Sports Award
BYU
WCC Male Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Noel Caliskan, LMU
WCC Female Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Gabby Blossom, San Diego
WCC Male Postgraduate Scholarship
Clayton Thatcher, Gonzaga
WCC Female Postgraduate Scholarship
Isabella Santavicca, Saint Mary's
WCC Male Sportsmanship Award
Ross Johnstone, San Diego
WCC Female Sportsmanship Award
San Diego Volleyball
#WCCRepresent Award
Sammy Needham, Santa Clara and Saint Mary's Men’s Soccer
The WCC 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 WCC athletic excellence.
This is the 10th year in a row that BYU has won both the Commissioner's Cup and the Women's All-Sports Award. The Cougars captured WCC Championships in men's and women's cross country, and men's golf later in the spring. BYU also recorded four second-place Conference finishes between women's soccer, volleyball, softball and women's golf.
LMU won the Men's All-Sports Award for the first time in school history after previously having won the Commissioner's Cup in 2005-06. The Lions clinched the accolade when they captured the 2023 WCC Baseball Regular Season Championship. LMU also earned a third-place finish in men's soccer, as well as fourth-place finishes in men's basketball and men's golf.
2022-23 Commissioner's Cup Standings
| BYU |
93.5 |
| LMU |
88.5 |
| Gonzaga |
84.5 |
| Santa Clara |
83.5 |
| San Diego |
83 |
| Portland |
76 |
| Pepperdine |
70.5 |
| Saint Mary's |
68 |
| San Francisco |
68 |
| Pacific |
42 |
Men's All-Sports Award Standings
| LMU |
37.5 |
| Santa Clara |
36.5 |
| Portland |
35 |
| San Diego |
35 |
| BYU |
34 |
| Gonzaga |
33 |
| Saint Mary's |
31.5 |
| Pepperdine |
25 |
| San Francisco |
24.5 |
| Pacific |
15.5 |
Women's All-Sports Award Standings
| BYU |
59.5 |
| LMU |
50 |
| Gonzaga |
49.5 |
| San Diego |
47 |
| Pepperdine |
45.5 |
| Santa Clara |
45 |
| San Francisco |
43.5 |
| Portland |
41 |
| Saint Mary's |
36.5 |
| Pacific |
26.5 |
MIKE GILLERAN SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
The Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year is selected by a vote of the WCC'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.
Noel Caliskan, LMU Men’s Soccer
Caliskan became a two-time WCC Midfielder of the Year last fall. A three-time ALL-WCC First-Team selection, he also earned Third-Team ALL-West Region honors in 2022. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2023 MLS Superdraft by the Portland Timbers.
A four-year captain for LMU, Caliskan succeeded in the classroom, as well, being named to the WCC All-Academic Team. He participated with LMU's Beach Cleanup initiative.
Gabby Blossom, San Diego Volleyball
In her lone year at San Diego, Gabby Blossom made a tremendous impact on the Toreros' volleyball program, helping lead USD to the NCAA Final Four.
She collected multiple awards during her tremendous 2022 campaign. Among her many accolades, Blossom was named a 2022 AVCA First-Team All-American, The 2022 AVCA Pacific South Region Player of the Year, the 2022 WCC Setter of the Year, ALL-WCC First Team and the 2022 NCAA Stanford Regional Most Outstanding Player.
In addition to all of the hard work on the court, Blossom also earned a spot on San Diego's President's Honor Roll with her GPA of 3.50.
She participated with USD's Beach Cleanup Initiative, as well, and USD's Hot Chocolate Run at St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
WCC 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.
Clayton Thatcher, Gonzaga Men's Golf
Thatcher aspires to attend law school after his previous work experiences in public policy. He has held distinguished congressional internships in Washington D.C. as a policy intern for the Office of the Washington State Attorney General and a policy strategist for Greater Spokane Incorporated, Spokane's Chamber of Commerce and Primary Economic Development organization.
He will either work on the Energy and Commerce Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives or in the Olympia/Seattle area in Washington state politics.
Thatcher hopes to work in the Solicitor General's Office for the Washington State Attorney General after law school.
Isabella Santavicca, Saint Mary’s Women's Soccer
Santavicca plans to earn a graduate degree in medicine, preferably emergency medicine. Her involvement in stroke research, medical clinics an the Crisis Text Line has given her the opportunity to see firsthand how medical and professional interventions might affect patients' outcomes, which sparked her interest in medicine.
Before beginning medical school, she plans to gain practial experience working in the medical field. Through her work with the Veterans Affairs, Santavicca is passionate about promoting healthcare access for those less fortunate in the United States and enhancing the lives of those who have risked theirs for our country.
Her long-term objective is to deliver high-quality healthcare to individuals in developing nations and positively influence society at-large by promoting systemic changes to enahcne health and well-being.
WCC SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
WCC Sportsmanship Awards are nominated and voted on solely by the 10 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) groups. The awards are designed to celebrate outstanding sportsmanship exhibited during competition, practice and behind the scenes.
Ross Johnstone, San Diego Men’s Soccer
During a soccer match vs. LMU in the fall, shouting back and forth between the teams led to a situation with the potential for physical altercations between multiple players. Ross recognized what was occurring and immediately intervened to de-escalate the situation. He sent his temmates off and approached the LMU players, apologizing for his teammates' role in the matter, reducing the tension between all involved.
Play resumed quickly and without any animosity. After the game, Ross led the team in shaking hands with their opponents.
San Diego Volleyball
USD supported an opposing player dealing with tragedy during its match against Pacific.
The team honored the player's brother who had recently passed away by wearing his favorite color of baby blue for their match.
USD had originally planned to wear its white uniforms for the match before learning the tragic news. The program reached out to Pacific and asked to wear the baby blue jerseys to honor him and his family. Both teams wore baby blue jerseys for the match.
#WCCREPRESENT AWARD
The #WCCREPRESENT award is unique as it may honor a student-athlete, team, or campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for initiatives that promote the positive WCC SAAC values of sportsmanship and community service. The winner is recognized for efforts to represent the #WCCREPRESENT tagline: Our Conference. Our School. Our Team. Ourselves.
Sammy Needham, Santa Clara Softball
Needham currently serves a leadership role on the Santa Clara University Athletics Diversity Group. She was a founding member and leader of the Bronco Plus Alliance Group, whose mission is to develop a safe community for Santa Clara Athletics LGBTQ+ and ally student-athlete and staff population. Needham helped in the foundational discussions to develop the mission and goals of the group. and also helped lead planning for SCU softball's Pride weekend for the last two seasons.
Saint Mary's Men’s Soccer
The Gaels completed over 300 hours of community services in and around campus. They helped host several events on campus such as the Saint Mary's Legacy Garden and the Pedrozzi Young Scholar Event. They also assisted at the Saint Vincent de Paul Homeless Shelter and Communnity Center.
SMC men's soccer served as coaches and mentors in the community, coaching kids with disabilities as part of the TopSoccer Initiative. The Gaels adopted the coaching, leadership equity and respect program on campus, including a 12-week program to bring awareness to sexual violence on campus.
The team played an integral role in the campus and surrounding community serving as exceptional ambassadors of Saint Mary's.