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 2025-2026 Commissioner’s Cup winner, All-Sports Award winners, Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athletes of the Year, Postgraduate Scholarship recipients and the Champion of Change Award winners.
 
2025-2026 West Coast Conference Awards
Commissioner’s Cup
Pepperdine

Men’s All-Sports Award
Santa Clara

Women’s All-Sports Award
Pepperdine

West Coast Conference Male Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year 
Maxi Homberg, Pepperdine Men's Tennis

West Coast Conference Female Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year 
Caroline Penner, Seattle U Women's Soccer

West Coast Conference Male Postgraduate Scholarship 
Maxi Homberg, Pepperdine Men's Tennis

West Coast Conference Female Postgraduate Scholarship 
Caroline Penner, Seattle U Women's Soccer

West Coast Conference Champion of Change Award 
Sydney Wilson (tennis), Braxton Brown (softball) and Nalani Jihad (rowing), Saint Mary's

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. 

Pepperdine won the West Coast Conference Commissioner's Cup for the fifth time in school history and the second time in the last three years. The Waves won the first three Commissioner Cup awards from 2002-2004. In men's sports this season, the Waves won the conference championship in men's golf and tied for the regular season championship in men's tennis. 

This marks the third straight year in which Pepperdine has won the Women's All-Sports Award and the eighth time in school history the Waves have won this award. During the 2025-26 season, the Waves won the West Coast Conference championships in women's soccer, women's golf and women's tennis. Pepperdine also claimed second place in volleyball and entered the beach volleyball conference tournament as the No. 2 seed. 

Santa Clara won the Men's All-Sports Award for the third time in school history and the first time since 2007. SCU finished in third place in men's basketball as the Broncos earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos' men's tennis team tied for the regular season championship. The Santa Clara baseball team also clinched a berth into the conference baseball tournament on the final weekend of the season to move up the final regular season standings. 

2025-26 West Coast Conference Commissioner's Cup Standings

1.	Pepperdine	105.26
2.	Santa Clara	102.23
3.	Saint Mary's	90.33
4.	Gonzaga	88.23
5.	Portland	82.30
6.	San Diego	81.33
7.	LMU	75.83
8.	San Francisco	68.03
9.	Pacific	58.80
10.	Seattle U	39.60

Men's All-Sports Award Standings      

1.	Santa Clara	40.93
2.	Gonzaga	38.33
3.	Pepperdine	38.26
4.	San Diego	37.33
5.	Pacific	37.30
6.	San Francisco	36.73
7.	Saint Mary's	36.46
8.	Portland	34.70
9.	LMU	23.73
10.	Seattle U	23.60

Women's All-Sports Award Standings

1.	Pepperdine	63.30
2.	Santa Clara	61.30
3.	Saint Mary's	52.60
4.	LMU	52.10
5.	Gonzaga	49.90
6.	Portland	47.60
7.	San Diego	43.80
8.	San Francisco	31.30
9.	Pacific	20.70
10.	Seattle U	16.00

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.
 
Maxi Homberg, Pepperdine Men's Tennis
Maxi Homberg led Pepperdine to three conference regular-season championships and a conference tournament title. As a senior, he went undefeated in conference play and earned all-conference honors for the third time in his career. He guided the Waves to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, finishing his career with more than 130 combined singles and doubles victories. During this year's NCAA Tournament, he secured a pivotal singles victory that propelled the Waves to a 4-3 win over seventh-ranked Baylor, sending Pepperdine to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time in 13 years.

A dedicated scholar-athlete, Homberg earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration with high honors. Through his work with the Greenline Housing Foundation, Homberg assisted with the rebuilding of homes following the devastating Palisades wildfires. He volunteered at Red Cross blood drives throughout the Malibu area and mentored aspiring student-athletes, earning recognition as an Alston Community Service Scholar.

Caroline Penner, Seattle U Women's Soccer
Caroline Penner led the West Coast Conference and ranked among the nation’s elite soccer players with 17 goals, six assists and 40 total points during her final season. She ranked fifth in the nation in goals per game at nearly one goal per contest, and sixth in the country in points per game at over two points per match. Her dominance on the field earned her West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors, first team all-conference recognition and national acclaim. Penner is one of the most accomplished players in the program’s history. She ranks among the program’s all-time leaders with 37 career goals and 85 career points. She is a four-time all-conference honoree during her illustrious career.

In the classroom, Penner has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average as a biology major and will receive her Bachelor of Science degree later this month. An academic All-American, Penner has achieved President’s List and Dean’s List honors each year and was recognized by Seattle University’s Chemistry Department twice, earning the Excellence in General Chemistry and Outstanding Performance in Organic Chemistry honor.

Within her community, Penner founded Community Clear, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting teenagers struggling with severe acne by providing free skincare resources and individualized treatment plans to underserved high school students throughout the local district. Through her leadership and compassion, nearly 200 skincare kits were assembled and distributed in schools.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
To be eligible for a West Coast Conference 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.
 
Maxi Homberg, Pepperdine Men's Tennis
Maxi Homberg distinguished himself not only as an elite competitor on the tennis court, but also as a scholar and leader within the campus community. He graduated last month with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with high academic honors that include recognition as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete, member of the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team, multi-year honoree on the West Coast Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll and College Sports Communicators Academic Honoree.
 
On the court, he established himself as one of collegiate tennis’s elite players. An ITA All-American, he earned West Coast Conference honors three times in singles and once in doubles. He was undefeated in conference play this spring as the No. 2 player in Pepperdine’s lineup. Homberg led the Waves to four NCAA Tournament appearances and a West Coast Conference Tournament title. He concluded his remarkable collegiate career with 71 singles victories and 60 doubles wins, earning national rankings as high as number 36 in singles and number 43 in doubles.
 
As an Alston Community Service Scholar, Homberg dedicated himself to serving others through Red Cross blood drives, mentoring students, tutoring peers, teaching youth tennis and developing a nonprofit organization. This fall, Maxi will continue his journey at Columbia University, pursuing a master’s degree in sports management with the goal of working in sports management or athlete representation, contributing to organizations that help athletes build sustainable and successful careers beyond competition.

Caroline Penner, Seattle U Women's Soccer
One of the most decorated women’s soccer players in Seattle U’s history, Caroline Penner's impact on the university stretches far beyond a soccer field. During her remarkable career, Penner totaled 85 points and received numerous accolades. As a senior, she scored a conference-leading 17 goals en route to West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors.
 
Her 4.0 cumulative grade point average as a biology major speaks for itself. She has been recognized on both the President’s List and Dean’s List each year. Her accomplishments in the classroom exceed her tremendous achievements in soccer.
 
Penner has been involved with several campus organizations and supported food banks in the area, while also volunteering with the Special Olympics of Washington program. Her passion for helping others led to the dedication to developing a nonprofit organization to support teenagers at local high schools who are in need of skin care. Caroline will use the scholarship to attend medical school as she pursues a career as a physician.

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.
 
Sydney Wilson, Braxton Brown and Nalani Jihad, Saint Mary's
Sydney Wilson (tennis), Braxton Brown (softball) and Nalani Jihad (rowing) founded the Black Student-Athlete Alliance on campus, creating a space for connection and advocacy for black student-athletes within the athletic community. The trio built an organization that fosters belonging, promotes dialogue and uplifts the voices of black student-athletes. The efforts have contributed to advancing inclusivity, equity and holistic development while also cultivating a culture of support and empowerment on campus. Through programming and consistent outreach, they have created opportunities for student-athletes to engage in meaningful conversations around identity, mental health and personal development. By bringing together student-athletes from diverse backgrounds they have strengthened relationships across teams, fortified peer connections and reinforced the importance of unity and mutual respect across the broader campus community. Their efforts have fostered a more inclusive and supportive environment at Saint Mary’s. The trio has demonstrated exceptional leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication to social impact. Their initiative reflects a deep commitment to improving the student-athlete experience in a meaningful and lasting way. Through their work with the Black Student-Athlete Alliance, they have created a foundation for continued progress and have set a powerful example of what it means to be Champions of Change.