SAN BRUNO, Calif. – BYU catcher Sydney Broderick was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and Gordon Eakin was named as Coach of the Year as voted by WCC coaches on Tuesday.
Broderick shares the freshman award with Saint Mary’s RHP Katie Moss. Broderick tied for second in the WCC with a .383 batting average, eight RBI and 11 runs in WCC action to lead BYU to its sixth consecutive conference championship.
Senior Tori Almond joined freshmen Lauren Bell, Broderick, Mercedes O’Connor and McKenzie St. Clair on the All-WCC First Team. This gave BYU a conference-high five players on the first team. Senior Ashlee Robinson and freshman McKenna Bull were named All-WCC Second Team.
Almond ended the season being named the WCC Pitcher of the Week in the final two weeks. She finished with a 6-1 record in conference play, a 1.17 ERA and 43 strikeouts. Bell finished with a conference-best .395 batting average to go along with 11 runs, a home run and two RBI in WCC play.
O’Connor cemented herself as a starting outfielder during conference play and finished with a .324 average, eight RBI and two home runs. St. Clair hit .333 during WCC action with eight runs and eight RBI.
Bull also held a 6-1 record to go along with a 2.44 ERA and 43 strikeouts in her first season at BYU. Robinson had one of her best seasons as a Cougar finishing conference play with a .313 average, a double, two home runs and six RBI. She added 28 assists in conference play.
Senior Taylor Petty of Pacific was named the WCC Player of the Year, while senior RHP Cassidy Coleman of San Diego took home the WCC Pitcher of the Year.
BYU will be representing the WCC in the NCAA Regionals this week starting with a game Thursday against Northwestern at 4:30 p.m. PST in Seattle.