SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Gonzaga women’s basketball star Yvonne Ejim and San Diego softball standout McKenna Braegelmann have been selected as the West Coast Conference’s nominees for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
The NCAA Woman of the Year Award program, established in 1991, honors the academic achievements, athletic excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female student-athletes.
Ejim completed her stellar collegiate career at Gonzaga as a two-time All-American, a two-time Academic All-American, a WNBA Draft pick, and a program record holder in several categories. She was voted the West Coast Conference’s Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the West Coast Conference’s Champion of Change award winner this past year. In April, Ejim was selected by the Indiana Fever with the 33rd overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
She completed her Gonzaga career as the program’s record holder in career points (2,385), career rebounds (1,140) and career field goals (970). Her career scoring total is second in West Coast Conference history and her career rebounding total is third in conference history. Ejim finished second in West Coast Conference history in career scoring (1,223) and fifth in career rebounding (565) in conference games. She is the first player in West Coast Conference history, and one of five active players nationally this past year, to record at least 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Her 726 points during her final season were a Gonzaga single-season record and ranked second in conference history.
A four-time all-conference selection and three-time first-team honoree, Ejim was voted the West Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in each of her final two seasons. She was named an honorable mention All-American by both the Associated Press and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) each of the last two seasons. The Gonzaga forward won the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Award during the 2023-24 season and was a finalist for the honor this past year. She was a finalist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award each of the last two seasons. Ejim was also on the watch lists for the Wooden Award and Naismith Award. A three-time West Coast Conference All-Academic selection, Ejim was tabbed a Collegiate Sports Communicators Academic All-American each of the last two years. She earned her degree in human psychology.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Ejim represented her country on the Canadian Olympic team in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Ejim made a tremendous impact on campus and in her community during her time at Gonzaga. The 2025 West Coast Conference Champion of Change award winner was a member of Gonzaga’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was elected and served as the chair of Gonzaga’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion group for three years. Ejim led members of the SAAC in activities that engaged the community and provided 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.
Braegelmann was a three-time All-West Coast Conference honoree and a two-time West Coast Conference All-Academic selection. Among her stellar athletic achievements, she threw a six-inning no-hitter with four strikeouts in San Diego’s 9-0 run-rule victory over LMU on the road last season. She recorded a 3.23 earned run average on the year. Braegelmann, a captain for the Toreros, led the West Coast Conference with the least amount of hits allowed (59) and runs allowed (36).
Making 62 career appearances, including 47 career starts in the circle for the Toreros, Braegelmann recorded nine complete games with three shutouts. She pitched a total of 230.2 innings over her four-year career, posting 18 career victories with 172 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .251 batting average.
In 2024, Braegelmann garnered the honor of being named the recipient of the West Coast Conference’s Champion of Change award for her tireless work supporting mental health awareness for collegiate athletes. A member of the West Coast Conference Mental Health Advisory Committee, she founded the “Words I Wish I’d Heard” campaign, that raised more than $4,000 for charities and collaborated with more than 20 student-athlete ambassadors nationwide. She created San Diego’s first annual mental health awareness softball tournament.
Braegelmann was elected the President of the SAAC and Co-President of the Student-Athlete Academic Council. She was also the Executive Chair of the Health and Wellness Committee, leading mental health programming for the university. She served as the West Coast Conference SAAC representative and was San Diego’s student-athlete representative at West Coast Conference Executive Council meetings.
A National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete, Braegelmann was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology.
In the fall, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee will choose the top 10 honorees in each division from the group of conference nominees. The selection committee will select the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be recognized at the NCAA Honors Celebration in January of 2026.
For more information about the program and previous winners, please visit ncaa.org/woty.