USF Captures WCC Men's All-Sports Award

May 18, 2009

(San Bruno, Calif.) - The University of San Francisco has won the 2008-09 West Coast Conference Men's All-Sports Award as announced by the conference office Monday. The honor marks the second time in school history that USF has won the award. The Dons also finished second in the annual Commissioner's Cup, falling a point and a half shy of winner San Diego. The second place finish marks the highest finish in USF history.

"This year was an extraordinary year in so many ways for USF Athletics," said USF Director of Athletics, Debi Gore-Mann. "We had a strong year thanks to our fall sports teams performing well and the rest of our teams taking advantage of the momentum that started with men's soccer and volleyball. Our spring sports teams then added to their accolades, propelling us into second overall in the standings. It was truly a collective effort by coaches, staff and student-athletes that we achieved so much this year. We hope to be able to capture the title outright in the near future".

Established prior to the 2001-02 season, the 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 Men's and Women's All-Sports Awards are given to the schools that accumulate the most points within each particular gender sport. The institution with the highest point total after combining the men's and women's point totals is honored with the Commissioner's Cup.

San Francisco won the Men's All-Sports Award thanks to first place finishes by the Dons' men's golf and men's soccer programs. The two league championships marked the first time since 2005-06 that the Dons earned two men's championships in a year - also the only other time the Green and Gold captured the league's Men's All-Sports Award. USF led the Men's All-Sports standings with 35.5 points, followed by Gonzaga (31.0), Loyola Marymount (29.0) and San Diego (28.0).

Upon the completion of the baseball season, San Diego ended the year with 64.0 overall points, slightly edging out San Francisco (62.5) for the Commissioner's Cup. Pepperdine finished third with 60.5 points, followed by Loyola Marymount (58.5), Portland (57.0), Gonzaga (56.5), Saint Mary's (47.0) and Santa Clara (40.0). USD is the first school to repeat as the Cup winner since Pepperdine won three in a row from 2002-04.

San Diego also won the Women's All-Sports Award with 36.0 points, edging out Portland (34.5). Rounding out the top-five were Portland (31.0), Loyola Marymount (29.5) and San Francisco (27.0)

The 2008-09 year proved to be a successful one for the USF Athletic Department as seven of its athletic programs advanced to their respective NCAA Tournaments. By virtue of winning WCC titles, men's soccer and men's golf earned automatic bids to the postseason, while women's volleyball, women's golf earned at-large bids to the post season tournament. Men's and women's track and field, cross country and women's tennis each had individuals from their programs selected to compete in the national postseason. Both volleyball and women's golf earned at-large bids after finishing second in league's standings.

During 2008-09, USF also claimed many of the West Coast Conference's top honors, landing three Player of the Year accolades, three Coach of the Year honors and a Freshman of the Year nod. Conor Chinn (MSOC), Danielle Cvitanov (WGolf), and Jennifer-Lee Heinser (WTEN) were named the conference's top athlete in each of their sports, while Ganbileg Bor was named men's cross country Freshman of the Year. On the coaching side, men's golf head coach Gary Nelson, men's soccer head coach Erik Visser and women's golf head coach Ria Quiazon were named the WCC Coach of the Year for their respective sports.

San Francisco also added 15 First Team All-West Coast Conference accolades to its list of 2008-09 accomplishments. Earning the honor were Carly Babin (VB), Bor (XC), Michelle Born (XC), Chinn (MSOC), Cvitanov (WGolf), Alix Gombos (VB), Jennifer-Lee Heinser (WTen), Diana Hong (WGolf), Domingo Jojola (MGolf), Dior Lowhorn (MBB), Sarah Mandala (VB), Shay Rollins (WBB), Jeff Russell (MSOC), Christina Stockton (WGolf), and Tommy Tu (MTEN). The baseball WCC yearly awards will be announced later this week.

2008-09 West Coast Conference Commissioner's Cup
1. San Diego - 64.0
2. San Francisco - 62.5
3. Pepperdine - 60.5
4. Loyola Marymount - 58.5
5. Portland - 57.0
6. Gonzaga - 56.5
7. Saint Mary's - 47.0
8. Santa Clara - 40.0

Men's All Sports
1. San Francisco - 35.5
2. Gonzaga - 31.0
3. Loyola Marymount - 29.0
4. San Diego - 28.0
5. Pepperdine - 26.0
6. Portland - 26.0
7. Saint Mary's - 22.0
8. Santa Clara - 17.5

Women's All-Sports
1. San Diego - 36.0
2. Pepperdine - 34.5
3. Portland - 31.0
4. Loyola Marymount - 29.5
5. San Francisco - 27.0
6. Gonzaga - 25.5
7. Saint Mary's 25.0
8. Santa Clara - 22.5