SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Steady at the plate in helping Saint Mary's secure at least a share of the 2026 West Coast Conference softball championship, Sam Buckley won West Coast Conference Softball Player of the Week. Valiant efforts in the circle on the road to keep her squad in championship contention led to Ellison Schroeder of Santa Clara winning West Coast Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week. 

WEST COAST CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – SAM BUCKLEY, JR., INF – SAINT MARY'S
Sam Buckley led the Gaels to two wins against LMU, as the Gaels won at least a share of their third consecutive conference championship. Buckley reached base in six of her eight plate appearances, including a pair of home runs. In game two of the series, her second roundtripper of the weekend added to the 6-1 victory. In the rubber match, she led off the fourth inning with a single and scored on a Taylor Lane home run that gave the Gaels a lead they would not relinquish. This is the third time this season that Buckley has won conference player of the week. 

Also Nominated: Taryn Clements, Santa Clara; Sydney Poole, LMU; Olivia Silvestre, Pacific

WEST COAST CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK – ELLISON SCHROEDER, FR. – SANTA CLARA
Ellison Schroeder boasted a complete game victory and a save in the series sweep of Seattle U to keep the Broncos' conference championship hopes alive. Over the series, she allowed two earned runs in 11 innings for a 1.27 ERA while striking out seven. In the series opener on Friday, the freshman hurler threw 155 pitches in a seven-inning complete-game effort that resulted in a 7-2 Bronco victory, good for her 11th win of the season. In Sunday's series finale, went three innings as the starter before getting replaced by Cari Ferguson with a 3-2 lead. After the team rallied from two runs down in the seventh to take a one-run lead at 7-6, Schroeder came in relief and threw a scoreless seventh to earn her third save of the season. This is her second conference pitcher of the week awad this season. 

Also Nominated: Angela Carrera, LMU; Kaytee Dahlstrom, Pacific; Mia Nishikawa, Saint Mary's

2026 West Coast Conference Softball Players of the Week
February 9: Taylor Fitch, Seattle U
February 16: Hannah Ferguson, Saint Mary's
February 23: Jaeya Butler, Oregon State
March 2: Jaeya Butler, Oregon State
March 9: Avari Morris, Seattle U
March 16: Justine Lambert, LMU
March 23: Sam Buckley, Saint Mary's
March 30: Leiora Davidson, Saint Mary's and Hannah Ferguson, Santa Clara
April 6: Sam Buckley, Saint Mary's
April 13: Jaeya Butler, Oregon State
April 20: Olivia Silvestre, Pacific
April 27: Izzy Jamgotchian, LMU
May 4: Sam Buckley, Saint Mary's

2026 West Coast Conference Softball Pitchers of the Week
February 9: Lindsay O'Dell, LMU
February 16: Lindsay O'Dell, LMU
February 23: Bailey Murray, Oregon State
March 2: Cari Ferguson, Santa Clara
March 9: Ellison Schroeder, Santa Clara
March 16: Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary's
March 23: Kelsey Tadlock, San Diego
March 30: Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary's
April 6: Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary's
April 13: Kaia Galaviz, Seattle U
April 20: Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary's
April 27: Madeline Haun, Saint Mary's
May 4: Ellison Schroeder, Santa Clara