SAN BRUNO, Calif. – The University of Portland sits atop the West Coast Conference Commissioner's Cup standings after a historic fall season on The Bluff. The Pilots claimed league titles in men's soccer and women's cross country and had three WCC Coach of the Year honorees after a spectacular start to the 2016-17 sports season.
The Commissioner's Cup is awarded annually to the WCC institution garnering the most success during Conference play. Portland earned a total of 41.0 points to edge BYU who finished the fall with 38.5 points.
"It has been a remarkable start to the 2016-17 season and a memorable fall for Pilot fans," Portland Athletic Director Scott Leykam said. "There is a lot to be excited about on The Bluff, not only for the success we have had this fall, but also for the direction all of our programs are heading. We have not peaked by any stretch and I think it is fair to expect that we can and will continue to improve across the board. Our coaches, administration, and fan base should be proud of what we have accomplished and be excited for the future."
In addition to earning top points from the two WCC titles, Portland also earned a second-place finish in men's cross country and tied for third in volleyball, the best finish in program history. Women's soccer placed sixth overall.
Portland owns the top spot in the men's all-sports trophy race with 19.0 points, good for a five and a half point lead. Bay Area rivals Saint Mary's College and University of San Francisco are tied for second with 13.5 points.
BYU leads the women's all-sports trophy race with a nearly perfect score of 28.5 points (out of 30 possible), after seizing two fall championships with a runner up showing in women's cross country. Portland is second in the women's race for the trophy with 22.0 points.
The WCC 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.
PORTLAND FALL SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
Men's Soccer
Portland (12-5-2, 6-1-0 WCC) finished the season as the outright WCC Champion to claim the program's first league title since 2002 and first NCAA playoff appearance since 2009. The Pilots were knocked out in penalty kicks after a first round road tie at New Mexico. Portland senior Eddie Sanchez was named the WCC Player of the Year, junior Paul Christensen was the league's goalkeeper of the year, Benji Michel was named the conference freshman of the year, and Nick Carlin-Voigt earned WCC co-coach of the year honors.
Women's Cross Country
Portland earned its first ever berth to the NCAA Championships after a fifth place finish at the NCAA Regionals. Despite missing key runner Parkes Kendrick at the NCAA meet due to a scheduling conflict with a Rhodes Scholarship interview, the Pilots placed 22nd at nationals as junior Lauren LaRocco earned All-America honors. LaRocco also won the WCC Championship by nearly 25 seconds and helped the Pilots to their first league title since 2008, edging fellow nationally-ranked programs BYU and San Francisco. Head coach Ian Solof picked up his sixth WCC Coach of the Year award.
Men's Cross Country
Portland finished second at the NCAA West Regional to earn the program's 17th bid to the NCAA Cross Country Championships. All seven Pilots finished in the top 30 individually at regionals, while Portland's top five runners earned All-Region honors. The Pilots finished 13th at nationals, which matched the eighth best finish in program history. Sophomore Nick Hauger, junior Jeff Thies and senior Stephen Mulherin each earned All-WCC and All-Region First Team honors.
Volleyball
Head coach Brent Crouch earned WCC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Pilots (17-13, 10-8 WCC) to the best season in program history. Crouch took over a program that went 0-27 and in three years put together back-to-back winning seasons and a 2016 campaign that included wins over No. 11 BYU and at No. 7 San Diego, the highest ranked wins ever. He also picked up the first coach of the year award in program history, while Portland's 17 wins are the most in a season since 1986 and the team's win percentage was the best since Portland joined Division I in 1986. The 10 conference wins were also the most in school history. Junior Hannah Troutman earned All-WCC First Team honors, while setter Cali Thompson earned All-Freshman Team recognition.
Women's Soccer
Led by All-West Coast Conference senior midfielder Allison Wetherington, the Pilots (9-7-3) posted impressive non-conference wins against Washington at home and Oregon on the road. Senior Ellie Boon earned All-WCC Second Team honors, while Kim Hazlett was named to the All-WCC Freshman Team. Portland regularly started four true freshmen among a class of seven that showed great promise and growth throughout the season.
2016-17 Commissioner's Cup Standings
(updated 12/7/16)
| OVERALL STANDINGS |
|
| Portland |
41.0 |
| BYU |
38.5 |
| Loyola Marymount |
32.5 |
| San Diego |
27.5 |
| Gonzaga |
27.0 |
| San Francisco |
26.0 |
| Saint Mary's |
23.0 |
| Santa Clara |
21.5 |
| Pepperdine |
17.0 |
| Pacific |
17.0 |
| MEN'S ALL-SPORTS |
|
| Portland |
19.0 |
| San Francisco |
13.5 |
| Saint Mary's |
13.5 |
| Loyola Marymount |
12.5 |
| Gonzaga |
11.0 |
| BYU |
10.0 |
| Pacific |
9.0 |
| San Diego |
7.5 |
| Santa Clara |
7.0 |
| Pepperdine |
3.0 |
| WOMEN'S ALL-SPORTS |
|
| BYU |
28.5 |
| Portland |
22.0 |
| Loyola Marymount |
20.0 |
| San Diego |
20.0 |
| Gonzaga |
16.0 |
| Santa Clara |
14.5 |
| Pepperdine |
14.0 |
| San Francisco |
12.5 |
| Saint Mary's |
9.5 |
| Pacific |
8.0 |
