West Coast Conference women's basketball tournament explained

West Coast Conference women's basketball tournament
Optional Subheader:Conference basketball championship
Sport:College basketball
Conference:West Coast Conference
Number Of Teams:9
Format:Single-elimination tournament
Current Stadium:Orleans Arena
Current Location:Las Vegas, Nevada
Years:1992-present
Most Recent:2024
Current Champion:Portland Pilots
Most Championships:Gonzaga Bulldogs (10)
Television:BYUtv, ESPNU
Website:WCCSports.com Women's Basketball
Sponsors:University Credit Union (2019)

The West Coast Conference women's basketball tournament is the annual concluding tournament for the NCAA college basketball in the West Coast Conference. The winner receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. The championship is broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

Games were at campus sites from 1992 to 1994, then were played at the same location as the men's tournament, beginning in 1995.

Beginning in 2012, the WCC adopted a new format to incorporate a ninth team (BYU). In 2012 and 2013, the tournament started on Wednesday instead of Friday, and a first round 8 vs. 9 game was added. The winner of the 8/9 game played the 5 seed on Day 2 of the Tournament (Thursday). The 6 vs. 7 match took place that same day. Day 3, or the Quarterfinals (Friday), featured the winner of the 5/8/9 game playing the 4 seed and the winner of the 6/7 game playing the 3 seed. The top two seeds entered in the semifinals on Saturday. All teams were off on Sunday (all WCC members are private, faith-based schools, and BYU has a strict policy against Sunday play), and the championship game was played Monday on ESPNU. BYUtv Sports showed all games on the women's side except for the championship.

The format changed to a traditional 10-team tournament with the addition of Pacific for the 2013–14 season.

At the end of each tournament, an all-tournament team is named, with one individual selected as Most Valuable Player. Four players have earned MVP honors more than once—Valerie Gillom of San Francisco, Jill Barta of Gonzaga, and Alex Fowler of Portland twice each; and Gonzaga's Courtney Vandersloot three times.

Past WCC women's basketball tournament results

YearChampionRunner-UpSiteMVP[1]
1992Santa ClaraSan FranciscoToso Pavilion, Santa Clara, CaliforniaMelissa King, Santa Clara
1993San DiegoSanta ClaraJill Shaver, San Diego
1994PortlandGonzagaAmy Claboe, Portland
1995San FranciscoPortlandValerie Gillon, San Francisco
1996San FranciscoPortlandValerie Gillon, San Francisco
1997San FranciscoPortlandGersten Pavilion, Los Angeles, CaliforniaBrittany Lindhe, San Francisco
1998Santa ClaraSaint Mary'sToso Pavilion, Santa Clara, CaliforniaLisa Sacco, Santa Clara
1999Saint Mary'sPepperdineTracy Morris, Saint Mary's
2000San DiegoPepperdineJessica Gray, San Diego
2001Saint Mary'sLoyola MarymountJenny Craig Pavilion, San Diego, CaliforniaJermisha Dosty, Saint Mary's
2002PepperdineSanta ClaraDamaris Hinojosa, Pepperdine
2003PepperdineSanta ClaraKendra Rhea, Santa Clara
2004Loyola MarymountGonzagaLeavey Center, Santa Clara, CaliforniaAdrianne Slaughter, Loyola Marymount
2005Santa ClaraGonzagaMichelle Cozad, Santa Clara
2006PepperdineSanta ClaraMcCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, WashingtonDaphanie Kennedy, Pepperdine
2007GonzagaLoyola MarymountChiles Center, Portland, OregonHeather Bowman, Gonzaga
2008San DiegoGonzagaJenny Craig Pavilion, San Diego, CaliforniaAmanda Rego, San Diego
2009GonzagaSan DiegoOrleans Arena, Paradise, NevadaCourtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga
2010GonzagaPepperdineCourtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga
2011GonzagaSaint Mary'sCourtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga[2]
2012BYUGonzagaHaley Steed, BYU[3]
2013GonzagaSan DiegoHaiden Palmer, Gonzaga[4]
2014GonzagaBYUSunny Greinacher, Gonzaga[5]
2015BYUSan FranciscoLexi Eaton, BYU[6]
2016San FranciscoBYUTaylor Proctor, San Francisco
2017GonzagaSaint Mary'sJill Barta, Gonzaga[7]
2018GonzagaSan DiegoJill Barta, Gonzaga[8]
2019BYUGonzagaPaisley Johnson, BYU[9]
2020PortlandSan DiegoAlex Fowler, Portland[10]
2021GonzagaBYUJill Townsend, Gonzaga[11]
2022GonzagaBYUMelody Kempton, Gonzaga[12]
2023PortlandGonzagaAlex Fowler, Portland[13]
2024PortlandGonzagaKennedy Dickie, Portland[14]

Performance by school

Former WCC members highlighted in pink.

MemberWinnersWinning Years
Gonzaga2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
Portland1994, 2020, 2023, 2024
San Francisco1995, 1996, 1997, 2016
BYU2012, 2015, 2019
San Diego1993, 2000, 2008
Pepperdine2002, 2003, 2006
Santa Clara1992, 1998, 2005
Saint Mary's1999, 2001
Loyola Marymount2004
Pacific

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WCC Tournament Recaps . 2010–11 West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Media Guide . PDF . 71–73 . West Coast Conference . April 10, 2011.
  2. 2011 WCC Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team Announced . West Coast Conference . March 7, 2011 . April 10, 2011.
  3. Web site: BYU women punch NCAA Tournament ticket with WCC title win over Gonzaga . . March 7, 2012 . March 7, 2012.
  4. News: Gonzaga Heads to Post Season Defeating San Diego . Associated Press . Associated Press . West Coast Conference . March 11, 2013 . March 12, 2013.
  5. Web site: BYU women fall in scoring hole, lose to Gonzaga in WCC Championship . . March 11, 2014 . March 12, 2014.
  6. Web site: Cougar women claim second WCC title, NCAA tourney next . . March 10, 2015 . March 10, 2015.
  7. Web site: Crumpacker - Jill Barta Leads Gonzaga To #WCChoops Title . John . Crumpacker . West Coast Conference . March 7, 2017 . March 8, 2017.
  8. Web site: Crumpacker - Zags Dance Again After Dispatching Toreros . John . Crumpacker . West Coast Conference . March 6, 2018 . March 6, 2018.
  9. Web site: Cougars Surpass Expectations, beat Gonzaga 82-68 for Conference Championship . Brandon . Gurney . Deseret News. March 12, 2019 . March 12, 2019.
  10. Web site: Faraudo: Portland Completes Title Run . Jeff . Faraudo . West Coast Conference . March 10, 2020 . March 19, 2020.
  11. 2021 UCU West Coast Conference Women's All-Tournament Team . West Coast Conference . March 9, 2021 . March 9, 2021.
  12. Gonzaga Wins 2022 WCC Women's Basketball Championship . West Coast Conference . March 8, 2022 . March 9, 2022.
  13. Portland Wins 2023 UCU WCC Basketball Tournament . West Coast Conference . March 7, 2023 . March 8, 2023.
  14. Portland Knock Off Favored Gonzaga For The WCC Title . West Coast Conference . March 12, 2024.