2022-23 Gonzaga Annual Report

Contributors: Holly Ellis, Steffany Galbraith, Connor Gilbert, Andrew Gardner, Scott Garrison, Dale Goodwin, Jillian Hall, Barrett Henderson, Chris Johnson, Martin Northcroft, Rian Oliver, Shannon Strahl, Chris Standiford, Devon Thomas, and Grace Whiteley.

Photos courtesy of: Zack Berlat/Gonzaga University, Holly Ellis, Taylor Lane, Emma Patenode, Ally Pelstring, Nick Tomoyasu, Torrey Vail, Matt Villareal, ESPN Images, NCAA, USA Today, and West Coast Conference.

AD REFLECTIONS TITLE IX: 37 WORDS AND 50 YEARS

What a great year of achievement for our student-athletes. These successes were made possible by you, our benefactors, and carried out by the focus of an athletic department that strives for greatness in competition, in the classroom and in the community. I am incredibly grateful to our student-athletes, coaches and staff for prospering through a time of significant change in collegiate athletics. During these dynamic times, we continue to focus on the growth and development of our student-athletes while making determined efforts to support their wellness and mental health. Through it all, they continue to reach new heights.

As we look forward to bringing in another class of Gonzaga student-athletes, we look back on another record-breaking year for our Bulldogs. This past year we celebrated conference championships, new school records, All-American recognitions and the excitement of expanded facilities to better support our student-athletes. More importantly, it also included a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) at 97 percent and Academic Progress Rate (APR) at 993, the two NCAA metrics for academic success.

As impressive as our student-athletes were in competition and in the classroom, they also combined for over 4,000 community outreach hours this past academic year. Their service included visits to local elementary schools, volunteering for Gonzaga Family Haven and Habitat for Humanity, and hosting collection drives for Catholic Charities, among numerous other events.

During the Spring semester, Gonzaga student-athletes posted a department record 3.57 grade-point average and a record 228 Bulldogs earned academic honors. We had a record 117 studentathletes earn President’s List Honors (3.85 semester GPA or higher) and 111 earned Dean’s List Honors (3.5-3.84 semester GPA). Additionally, 53 Bulldog student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, which was another departmental record. The combined GPA of 3.57 marks the 15th consecutive semester that the

student-athletes combined to post over a 3.30. For the fifth straight year, GU student-athletes led the West Coast Conference with 255 Zags named to the 20th annual WCC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

The 2022-23 year provided plenty of highlights for our programs. Our men’s basketball program made a run to the Elite Eight, along with its eighth straight appearance in the Sweet 16, in its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament. Our women’s basketball team won their 18th West Coast Conference regular season title and made their 14th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. James Mwaura capped off an incredible career at Gonzaga earning his fourth and fifth AllAmerican finishes at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In their third-straight NCAA appearance men’s cross country received its first ever automatic bid and finished a programbest 13th at the NCAA Championships. The Zag men had the program’s best finish at NCAA West Regionals placing second. The GU men and women climbed to program-high national rankings of 12th and 21st during the season. Our women’s rowing program won the WCC title for the eighth straight season. Women’s golfer Cassie Kim was selected to participate in the NCAA Regionals. Our women’s soccer team matched their best West Coast Conference finish in program history, placing third, but had their bestever winning percentage in league play. Those are just a few of the moments our student-athletes and coaches achieved this past year.

We have a lot to be proud of with our student-athletes and coaches. We hope you enjoyed this past year as much as we did. On behalf of our studentathletes, coaches and staff, thank you for being there for us, celebrating with us and providing resources for us to be successful. Thank you for taking the time to recount the memories we all made in 2022-23 and be proud that you were a vital part of making them happen. We look forward to our continued partnership with you and many more great Zag moments.

Zags! Chris Standiford Athletic Director

FIVE DECADES OF POSITIVE CHANGES FOR GONZAGA WOMEN’S SPORTS SCENE

Written by Dave Goodwin (‘86, M.A.T.)

It took just 37 words to change the educational experience for women and girls in the United States. This civil rights legislation, which applies to all schools and educational agencies, sought to break down gender-based barriers, but also to improve prevention and reporting of sexbased harassment and assault.

Title IX is a 1972 amendment to the Civil Rights Act, stating: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

The law covers most K-12 schools, colleges and universities, as well as vocational schools, libraries and museums. It applies to tens of millions of students, as well as educators. It addresses sexual assault and violence on campus, employment discrimination, retaliation and gender bias.

While the scope of its impact is much broader than athletics, we take a look here at what changed for women in sports at Gonzaga specifically.

In the 1970s, women coaches left their jobs if they became pregnant, remembers Diane Tunnell, retired physical education professor and associate dean of education at Gonzaga. Patty Naigle Martin (’78) remembers that weight- training equipment was not available to women unless it was for the purpose of recovering from injury. Shannon Strahl (’99) and her teammates on the women’s soccer team wore men’s uniforms because activewear for women’s bodies was not readily available.

These are but a few examples of the limitations women in collegiate sports

experienced before and after Title IX was enacted, legally requiring gender equity. In this 50th anniversary year of Title IX, we take a look at changes at Gonzaga over those five decades.

Today, the GU women’s basketball team flies on charter jets just like the men’s team, and their locker room compares with any men’s clubhouse in the country. Strahl, the soccer player who wore men’s shorts 30 years ago, is now deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, second in charge of Gonzaga athletics. Mike Roth, athletic director (1997-2021) guided these equity upgrades and championed support for women’s athletics through the last 25 years.

In the Beginning

In the early years of Title IX, Gonzaga offered women’s basketball, volleyball, tennis and cross country – with no athletic scholarships and little funding. Teams traveled to area competitions in personal cars or aged university vans. Men’s and women’s athletic departments were separate.

Marjorie Anderson was the women’s

1960 Pine League Basketball

athletic director and was often referred to as “the mother of Gonzaga women’s athletics.”

Tunnell remembers teaching in high schools in the 1970s when there were separate men’s and women’s gyms, and the paths to each seldom crossed. “At the college level, some institutions maintained separate athletic administrators for men’s and women’s sports well into the 1990s.” Jon Sunderland, retired physical education professor and former dean of GU’s School of Education, saw Title IX as perhaps the most significant door-opener for women to become teachers and coaches in high schools and colleges.

Sunderland and Anderson, who also directed physical education, developed a master’s degree in physical education that focused on training women to be athletic administrators. A large percentage of their early students were female student-athletes.

GU’s mother of women’s athletics, Marjorie Anderson

Go

“As women’s sports grew, many women got into coaching. But as the women’s games became more lucrative, men saw opportunity and began applying for women’s coaching jobs. Perhaps one downside of Title IX,” Sunderland says.

Tunnell admits to challenges for women in sports roles.

“Women were not inclined to manage their families and a coaching career,” she says. “They left their coaching jobs once they got pregnant.”

Today, women’s basketball coach Lisa Fortier (’06) shatters that glass ceiling. She is raising three children with husband and assistant coach Craig Fortier, winning West Coast Conference championships and routinely advancing to the NCAA tournament.

Title IX impacted the composition of auxiliary staff as well. Athletic trainers and conditioning coaches were once predominantly male, and women’s teams did not receive the same level of service. Now women trainers represent an equitable gender mix, with women serving both male and female student-athletes.

And Gonzaga athletic administration is doing its best to accommodate everyone’s needs.

“It is important to retain our young, talented staff,” says Heather Gores (’03 M.A.), associate athletic director for internal operations. “We want to provide resources to assist them in doing their jobs well.

“The proportion of female coaches has been declining nationwide due to a variety of factors, but largely due to barriers with work-family conflicts. We would like to help change the narrative around this and support our new mothers/parents and show that they can be successful in their job and parenthood.”

First Signs of Positive Changes

Two basketball players, among others, made their share of headlines during their time as Zags in the late 1970s, playing under the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW).

Patty Naigle Martin (’78) was the team’s leading scorer, and at 6 feet tall could attack the rim.

“Looking back at my experience and what it is now providing for women in sports, the impact of Title IX is quite noticeable,” she says. “Athletic scholarships, strength training and media attention were quite limited during our time. Weight-training equipment was not available to us unless we were recovering from injury.”

While Naigle Martin was making a good share of the baskets, guard and Gonzaga Regent Sharon (McDonald) Cade (’76) was feeding her the ball. Cade recalls practicing and playing on the second floor behind the main-court bleachers in Kennedy Pavilion during her first year. Games drew maybe 20 family members and friends. By their junior year in 197576 players had practice jerseys, use of the training room and a pair of Converse shoes. Games moved to Kennedy’s main court. GU offered its first two female athletic scholarships in 1975. In Cade’s senior year, the women’s basketball team finished the regular season 14-0, flew for the first time to a postseason tournament, in Boise, and qualified for the regional tournament in Seattle, she recalls.

The Middle Years, 1985- 99

In the early 1980s, Gonzaga women’s athletics competed in NAIA small-college competition. Maria Stack (’86) earned the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1985, recognizing the top women’s basketball player in the country under 5-foot-8.

Women’s athletics became an NCAA Division I independent in 1986 and a full-fledged member of the West Coast Athletic Conference in 1987. Coach Mike Petersen and his women’s basketball team won the first WCC title that year. Julie Holt replaced Petersen two years later and had four losing seasons before posting a 21-10 record in 1993-94, for which she was named WCC Coach of the Year.

“When I think of those who have made the most positive impact on women’s equity in sports, Julie Holt comes to mind,” says Gonzaga Athletic Director Chris Standiford. “The example she set for student-athletes and the strength in which she carried herself was a model for our student- athletes to emulate.”

In 1990 the women’s volleyball team earned its first appearance in the NCAA postseason tournament with WCC Player of the Year Lisa (Petticord) Phillips (’92), senior all-conference setter Erica Cordy (’91) and freshman sensation Kelley (Cunningham) Spink (’93) leading the way. Meanwhile, women’s cross country captured its first WCC title in 1995, and women’s rowing, which was founded as a club activity, in 1991 became an NCAA Division I-recognized sport at Gonzaga. It didn’t take the Zags long to win the first of 20 West Coast Conference championships in 25 years, dominating the league. And travel for all these teams had stepped up by the ’90s, from cars and vans to buses and planes.

A boathouse was erected along the Spokane River near Felts Field, which the men’s and women’s teams share. Women’s rowing has made seven NCAA tournament appearances in the last nine years.

“How you grow the experience of our student-athletes through the eyes of gender equity is always a part of our conversation,” Standiford says.

2000-Present

No doubt men’s basketball’s advancement to the Elite Eight in 1999 boosted all athletic programs at Gonzaga, men’s and women’s.

“Before that, and since that run, our women’s programs have been a constant evolution,” says Strahl, who has served Gonzaga Athletics for 24 years. “We used to have part-time coaches in nearly every sport. Now we are fully staffed in most sports. And while we still have room to grow, we offer more athletic scholarships than ever before, particularly in our female programs.

“Having three female head coaches and many assistant coaches, and nearly half of the athletic department’s senior administrators being women, we see many of our female student-athletes aspiring to get into the profession,” Strahl says. “It’s also important to me for my own sons to see women in key roles. They can see I am deputy athletic director because I am capable, not because I am a woman. We strive for equity, not because of a law, but because it is important to us.”

Growth for All

New facilities in the last 20 years have given women and men a chance to compete at a higher level.

At the McCarthey Athletic Center, women’s basketball has sold out 38 games since the 6,000-seat building opened in 2004. The Stevens Center for tennis and golf has elevated both women’s and men’s programs, as has a new soccer field built in 2007. In 2021, women’s and men’s rowing teams received a boost through the addition of the Johnson Family Boathouse on Silver Lake.

“Facilities are critical in helping our coaches recruit student-athletes to come to Gonzaga,” says Strahl.

When Kelly Graves became women’s basketball coach in 2000, he revitalized the program, resulting in 12 winning seasons in 14 years, including seven trips to the NCAA tournament and a Regional Final appearance (2011) with now-WNBA star Courtney Vandersloot (’11). Assistant Coach Lisa Fortier replaced Graves in 2015 and has led the Zags to seven 20win seasons and six NCAA tournament appearances in her eight years at the reins, including a Regional Semifinal appearance in the 2015 NCAA tournament.

Fortier sees opportunities for women as the biggest benefit Title IX has provided. “Title IX has changed the face of athletics for girls and women entirely,” Fortier says. “It used to be that opportunities were only in sports that were ‘appropriate’ for women. But thankfully, people have realized that all sports are appropriate for women.”

“At Gonzaga, we are treated very well,” Fortier says. “I am treated as someone who can add value to the athletic department and the University, and I’m grateful for that.”

Women’s tennis Coach Natalie PluskotaHamberg cites the construction of the Stevens Center in 2013 for lifting her program to national recognition.

“We went from two scholarships to eight and added a full-time assistant. Athletic administration is doing everything it can to make our program competitive. And we receive great support from the men’s

tennis team and Coach DJ Gurule,” she notes.

The Volkar Center for Athletic Achievement, completed in 2018, has been a recognizable source of support for GU’s 350 student-athletes on and off the court, with academic and life skills support staff at the ready.

It is only through shining a light on the thousands of moments that have come from Title IX that we can see the monumental change this historic legislation has brought about.

1977 Volleyball

1964 Women’s Tennis

1983 Women’s Rowing

Victoria Fallgren Women’s Golf Assistant Coach

Katie Wilson Volleyball Head Coach

Lisa Fortier Women’s Basketball Head Coach

Katie Benz Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach

Natalie Pluskota-Hamberg Women’s Tennis Head Coach

AN ELITE RUN

GONZAGA MEN’S BASKETBALL

TIMME’S TIME

Rasir Bolton, Nolan Hickman and Julian Strawther fueled GU to the key road wins.

On Jan. 14, Gonzaga made 17 threes, the second-most under Few, and Malachi Smith scored a season-high 27 points with seven three-pointers in a 115-75 win over Portland. A pair of back-toback impressive individual efforts followed on the road. At Pacific, Timme scored a career-high 38 points, making a conference season-high 17 shots from the field. At Portland, Strawther scored a career-high 40 points with eight threes. It was the most points by a Zag since 2016.

If there is a Mount Rushmore of Gonzaga Greats, Drew Timme would most certainly need to be on it. The native of Dallas, Texas, made Spokane his over the last four years, rewriting the Bulldog record books, making thousands of fans with his contagious personality.

A three-time All-American selection, Timme finished his Gonzaga career as a consensus First Team All-American in 2022-23. He was a Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Finalist, along with Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award National Player of the Year Finalists.

coach because he was tough. And they talk about butting heads. We didn’t butt heads that much. He’s tough. He loves to compete. I love to compete. We get it... It’s been quite a ride. I hope everybody remembers him for the great competitor he was and just the awesome player he was.”

In his senior season in 2022-23, Timme became GU’s all-time leading scorer and ended with 2,307 points. His 896 career rebounds rank fourth and his 115 blocks are eighth all-time in program history. He was named the 2021 Karl Malone Award winner.

the past four seasons, going 58-4 in West Coast Conference play with four league regular season titles and four WCC Tournament titles.

“I’m just so thankful that the program and the place took me for who I was,” Timme said. “They didn’t ask me to be anybody but myself. And just so appreciative for the program and just the people, the fans that just watched me grow up and just become the man I am today. And I’m forever in debt for Gonzaga, just the love I have for just everyone that helped me and made this journey so special and so fun. I just don’t think I could ever repay that.

Mark Few and Drew Timme each exhaled and gave each other a celebratory hug on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln sitting in the North San Diego Bay. The Zags just rallied and then held off a buzzer-beating shot from Michigan State to win the 2022 Armed Forces Classic, 64-63, in front of 1.48 million viewers on ESPN — the largest audience for the event since 2016.

A Top-5 clash inside the Spokane Arena on Nov. 20 was another key building block early in the season. The first of a six-game series with Kentucky broke the all-time attendance record at the Spokane Arena as 12,333 people watched the Bulldogs roll to an 88-72 victory. A trio of Zags finished with 20-point performances in the win.

After beating Washington for the seventh straight time on Dec. 9, Gonzaga picked up its second win this season over a No. 4 ranked team beating Alabama. In front of a sold-out crowd of 15,847 fans in Birmingham, Ala., the Bulldogs led for 31 minutes and won 100-90. In the second half against the Crimson Tide, the Zags scored 53 points, shot 74.1 percent from the field (including 66.7 percent from three-point range), and scored 1.43 points per possession. Six Bulldogs

finished in double-digit scoring. GU forced 21 turnovers and made 12 steals. The Crimson Tide ended up cruising to the SEC title and earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Zags’ first three road games of the West Coast Conference season were unforgettable. In a thrilling three-game slate, all victories, Gonzaga trailed by 12 at San Francisco, 14 at Santa Clara and 10 at Brigham Young. The Bulldogs were behind 50-38 at the 18:36 mark of the second half at USF, and 68-58 with 4:56 left at BYU. Late heroic shots from

Following an overtime setback at Saint Mary’s, GU reeled off 12 straight wins, including a 108-65 victory at Loyola Marymount. The Bulldogs never gave the sold-out crowd a chance to get into the game jumping out to a 15-4 lead at the first media timeout, which stretched to 32-10 by the second media. Gonzaga went on a 20-0 run in the opening half and led by 40 points at halftime, 68-28.

In front of a raucous packed Kennel on Feb. 25, the Zags clinched a share of their 11th straight conference regular season title with a 77-68 win over No. 15 Saint Mary’s. GU closed the regular season with a 104-65 win over Chicago State on Senior Night. It was the eighth 100-point game of the season for the Bulldogs, a new program record. The Zags led by

Timme was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2021-22 and 202223. He led the West Coast Conference averaging 21.4 points per game and shooting 61.6 percent from the field this season.

“I think he’s one of the greatest college players in this modern era,” Mark Few said of Timme. “If you look at how much he’s won during his career, and he’s won at the highest level. He’s produced...He’s a bigger-than-life character. Like he said, he was himself the whole time here. It was a blast to coach him. He was easy to

The Dallas, Texas native has scored more points than any other Zag in the NCAA Tournament (301), while grabbing the most rebounds as well (110). In his 13 NCAA Tournament games, he made 121 of his 202 shots from the field, both the most in program history.

Timme helped GU qualify for four NCAA Tournaments and has been a key piece to three straight trips to the Sweet 16, two Elite Eights, and an appearance in the national championship game. The Zags have won a national best 121 games over

“And while this ride might not have ended how we wanted it to, it’s more about the journey, the relationships, the good, the bad, the ugly. That’s what makes these things so emotional is how much you put into something. And I’d do anything for Gonzaga. I always will. This isn’t a goodbye; it’s a see you later. I always want to be around the program, Coach. It’s a special place. It’s a special program. And I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else. I loved it here.”

as many as 44 points, scoring 62 in the second half. Gonzaga shot 60.7 percent from the field, including 23-for-31 (74.2 percent) in the second half.

The Bulldogs won their fourth consecutive WCC Tournament with wins over San Francisco (84-73) and Saint Mary’s (77-51) in Las Vegas. Gonzaga improved to 51-5 in the event under Few and appeared in its 26th straight conference tournament championship game.

In its 24th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Gonzaga won its opening game in the event for the 14th straight season, which is the second-longest active streak in the nation, beating Grand Canyon 82-70. In the second round, the Zags trailed by as many as 10 to Texas Christian, and by five at halftime, before rallying for an 84-81

win. The victory extended the country’s longest active Sweet 16 streak to eight straight appearances for the Bulldogs.

A showdown with UCLA awaited Gonzaga in Las Vegas in the Sweet 16. The Bruins and Zags added to their epic March finishes with this season’s NCAA West Regional Semifinal. UCLA led by 13 points at halftime and seemed poised for a trip to the Elite Eight, but a second half rally that gave GU a 10-point lead with

2:40 remaining in regulation looked to be enough for the Bulldogs. The Bruins countered with a 14-3 run capped by a three-pointer to give them the lead with 14 seconds left. Timme matched the program record for most points in a NCAA Tournament game with 36, but it was Strawther that made his mark in the Zag March memories. The junior’s long three just over half-court with seven seconds on the game clock that put Gonzaga ahead for good. The West Coast clash drew 6.13 million viewers on television.

The Zags ran into the eventual national champion UConn in the West Regional Final. It was GU’s sixth Elite Eight appearance, with five coming in the last eight tournaments. The Bulldogs have the most wins in the tournament since 2017, going 20-5, Kansas is next at 16-4. GU’s 25 wins in the tournament since 2015 are

also the most, with Villanova and North Carolina second at 21.

Playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules, the Bulldogs won 31 of their 37 games. Gonzaga clinched the program’s eighth 30-win season, with the previous seven being in the last 10 years, while also clinching its 16th straight 25-win season, which is now the NCAA Div. 1 record.

For the fifth straight season, the Zags led the country in scoring at 86.1 points per game, and for the fourth consecutive season, GU led the nation in field goal percentage shooting 52.1 percent from the field in 2022-23.

The Zags’ 132 straight AP Poll appearances top the nation, with Houston second at 63. The Bulldogs’ 132 consecutive appearances in the Top 25 is 12th all-time in the poll’s history. Gonzaga

is the only program in the country to appear in every AP poll since 2017. The Zags have finished in the Top-10 in each of the last seven final AP polls, the only program in the nation to accomplish that feat.

“We’ve just got a tremendous run of great players like these guys,” Few said following the Elite Eight game. “They’re winners. We’ve had a great run of winners. As I told them in the locker room, I mean, personally, I think this is 24 years of being a head coach, I’ve never had a team get this much better over the course of a year. I mean, from where we were in November to where we were two hours ago was just an incredible journey and a bunch of fun, because they were coachable and willing to work and willing to do what we asked them. So they deserve all the credit.”

A MORNING OF MEMORIES

After a nine-year wait, ESPN’s premier college basketball show, College GameDay returned to the McCarthey Athletic Center on Feb. 25. The Zags’ top-20 matchup with Saint Mary’s was the showcase game, and the sixth time GU was a part of the show.

Nearly 4,000 fans woke up for the 7 a.m. start time of the show. It was easily the largest crowd the show had this season.

“It was the best crowd of the season by far,” Davis said. “Not to disparage the others, but it was the biggest and the loudest. And it’s the best one in the last several years. I mean, we’re appreciative to everybody that comes out. They really come out in support and show out, and that’s what these guys did.”

The crowd began to take shape at 6 a.m. when the doors opened for hundreds of students who had been in line for more than an hour.

As they began to pour in, the first couple of dozen flocked to the front row behind the GameDay desk.

The student section overflowed into neighboring sections before the general public piled around the students 15 minutes later.

Gonzaga clinched a share of the program’s 26th West Coast Conference regular season title, and for the 11th straight season, later that night with a win over Saint Mary’s.

The NCAA’s ‘Name, Image, Likeness’ (NIL) policy now allows all student-athletes to explore new opportunities and maximize their personal brand. The Zags Collective embraces this in a way that is uniquely Gonzaga: driven by values, commitment to service, and a tradition of considering the needs of the community and the world. The NIL policy allows studentathletes to embrace an entrepreneurial

spirit and pursue new opportunities that elevate their personal brand and increase exposure to causes, companies, or organizations they care about.

With General Manager Nate Brown and former GU basketball great Matt Santangelo leading the charge, Zags Collective is a fan-driven and alumni-led NIL collective for Gonzaga University student-athletes, alumni, and fans. The mission of Zags Collective is to inspire and grow our student-athletes as well-rounded people, to support the charities and nonprofits we partner with, and improve the community. The

Zags Collective amplifies an avenue that supports Gonzaga student athletes’ community engagement and helps them give back in impactful ways by aligning their passions with the needs of local nonprofit organizations.

Zags Collective is a third-party organization, not affiliated with Gonzaga University. However, Zags Collective’s leadership is comprised, in part, by Gonzaga University alumni and former professional athletes dedicated to creating a program that exclusively benefits the student-athletes, fans, and businesses in the community.

First it was ESPN Senior Director of Communications Bill Hofheimer, who tweeted 15 minutes into the program that it was, “Hands down, the best College Gameday basketball crowd of the year.”

“The best atmosphere we’ve had. You guys were tremendous,” Gameday personality Seth Greenberg said.

Rece Davis, the show’s host, followed that by echoing the same sentiment after he took a few photos with students and fans.

“THE BEST ATMOSPHERE WE’VE HAD. YOU GUYS WERE TREMENDOUS.

SETH GREENBERG

WOMEN’S SOCCER

VOLLEYBALL MEN’S ROWING

MEN’S SOCCER

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

BASEBALL

Matched their best WCC finish in program history (third place) and reached 10 wins in a season for the 10th time (103-5, 5-1-3 West Coast Conference)

The fifth time in the last six seasons GU has won 10 matches in a season, with the exception being the COVID-shortened season in the spring of 2021

Best conference finish by winning percentage in program history

Lyza Bosselmann was named the WCC Goalkeeper of the Year, First Team All-West Region and Academic AllConference

Sophia Braun was First Team AllWest Region, First Team All-WCC and Academic All-Conference. Erin Healy was Third Team All-West Region and Second Team All-Conference

Bosselmann was selected 28th in the National Women’s Soccer League draft by the Washington Spirit. She is the second Zag ever drafted to the NWSL

Braun and her Argentinian national team won the third-place match at the 2022 Copa America. The 3-1 victory over Paraguay qualified Argentina for the 2023 Women’s World Cup

Competed well against No. 17 Oregon State at home in March

1V8 boat finished second in the Cal Cup at the San Diego Classic

1V8 was ranked No. 25, 2V8 was ranked No. 23 and the 3V8 was also ranked No. 23 in IRA Coaches Poll

Won the Fawley Cup against Washington State by sweeping the races

1V8 boat placed first at the UCSD Invitational with a time of 6:02

Jeremiah Guest, Aidan Smith, Joey Moore and Toby Finn given All-Conference honors

The Zags upset No. 24 Pepperdine, which was the first Top-25 win in program history

Gonzaga set the program record for most aces served in a single season

Zoe Thiros, Kennedy Croft, Alyssa Hughes were all selected All-WCC honorable mention

Thiros named WCC Academic First Team, while Alyssa Hughes, Kelsie White, McKenna Marshall, Dani Batenhorst, Grace Ehler and Keau Kamake’eaina were all tabbed honorable mention

Demitrius Kigeya named All-WCC

First Team

Kigeya started in all 18 games and led the team in shots (47), assists (7) and points (13)

Kigeya was in top five in assists and shots in the WCC

Had home wins over Incarnate Word, Marist College and UC San Diego

Johan Garibay finished the season with 72 saves to lead the WCC and ended his career with 246 to rank third all-time at GU

Climbed to the highest ranking in program history at No. 21

Kristen Garcia’s and Rosina Machu’s 17th and 22nd place finishes was the first time two Zag women’s runners both cracked the Top 25 to get All-West honors at an NCAA Regional since 2015

Garcia and Machu ran the fastest times in program history over a 6K course at NCAA West Regionals

Garcia was named USTFCCA AllAcademic

Garcia and Machu earned All-WCC first team selections after placing 6th and 7th at the conference championships

Alicia Anderson and Garcia were named WCC All-Academic First Team, while Makenna Edwards, and Alyssa Bienfang were honorable mention

Gonzaga placed fourth at the WCC Championships

Gonzaga made its sixth-straight West Coast Conference Tournament appearance

Owen Wild was named Preseason AllAmerican and WCC Pitcher of the Week

Jacob Rutherford was named WCC Pitcher of the Week

Brian Kalmer broke the record for most home runs in a game (will probably include whatever he ranks in single season homers and RBI by end of season)

New renovations at Patterson Baseball Complex and brand new state-of-the-art synthetic playing surface

MEN’S TENNIS WOMEN’S TRACK

Undefeated at home in January and February

Sasha Trkulja was named to the All-WCC Second Team for singles

Arthus de la Bassietere was named AllWCC Honorable mention

Sasha Trkulja and Matthew Hollingworth tabbed as All-WCC Honorable Mention in doubles

Oliver Anderson named WCC Player of the Week

Ranked as high as #59 in ITA Rankings

Alicia Anderson (1,500 meters), Rosina Machu (5,000 meters), Kristen Garcia and Caramia Mestler (10,000 meters) all qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Sacramento

Nine program records ran in the 2023 season

Garcia opened the indoor season in Boston running the second-fastest indoor 5000-meter time in program history and fastest since 2016

Garcia broke the program’s Indoor 3,000-meter record at the Lauren McCluskey Memorial Open

Ellie Armbruster (400m) and Mestler (5000m) both ran indoor program record times at the Husky Classic

Garcia broke the program’s 10,000-meter record at the Stanford Invitational

Ellie Armbruster set indoor and outdoor 400-meter program records, along with breaking the outdoor 800-meter record at the Portland Distance Carnival

Machu improved her own 5,000-meter program record at the NCAA West Prelims

MEN’S TRACK

WOMEN’S TENNIS

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY MEN’S GOLF

Jace Minni captured medalist honors at the SU Redhawk Invitational on the Chambers Bay Golf Course

Minni finished the event at eight-under (205) and carded a final round of 65 (-6), matching the lowest round in program history, and his 205 three-round total also matched the program record

Gonzaga finished the fall season matching the third-lowest round team total in program history at Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic

Zach Stocker advanced out of U.S. Open local qualifying at the Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla

The Bulldogs finished the season with the program’s second-lowest season scoring average at 291.94

Stocker ranks second all-time at GU in season scoring average (72.48) and career scoring average (73.71)

Minni’s season scoring average of 73.33 ranks eighth in program history

Yacine Guermali (1500m), Cooper Laird (steeplechase), Cullen McEachern (steeplechase), James Mwaura (5000m and 10000m) and Wil Smith (5000m and 10000m) all qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Sacramento

Guermali and Mwaura opened the indoor season in Boston running the two fastest indoor 5,000-meter times in program history

Smith became the first GU runner to run a sub-four minute mile en route to a historic event win at the Washington State Open, also setting a facility record at The Podium

Smith also set the indoor 3,000-meter program record at the Husky Classic

Guermali and Smith ran the program’s top two 1,500-meter times at the Payton Jordan Invitational

Smith broke the program’s 5,000-meter record and placed first at the Oregon Twilight

Undefeated at home in January and March

Cate Broerman was tabbed with All-WCC Honorable Mention honors in singles

Finished 9-2 at home this season

Cate Broerman was ranked No. 115 in the ITA Rankings to open up the season

Finished program-best 13th at NCAA Championships in third-straight appearance

First-ever automatic bid to nationals with best-ever second-place finish at NCAA West Regionals

Rose to highest-ever program national ranking at No. 12 during the season

Program-best three All-West Region finishers – Wil Smith, Yacine Guermali, and Kyle Radosevich

Kyle Radosevich and Yacine Guermali were named USTFCCA All-Academic scholars

Wil Smith earned All-WCC first team honors

Riley Moore, Wil Smith, Dominic Arce, and Kyle Radosevich tabbed WCC AllAcademic honorable mention

Pat Tyson named WCC Men’s Coach of the Year

finish by a Gonzaga men’s runner at the NCAA West Regional Championships, finishing 10th and breaking the program’s 10,000-meter course record. He was the first Zag to run a sub-30-minute 10K, and the second GU runner to earn All-Region honors.

Mwaura won his first collegiate outdoor race at the 2019 Buc Scoring Invite and would later shatter the program’s 10,000-meter record winning the Cardinal Classic on April 20, 2019. He set a new 5,000-meter program record two weeks later. He nearly qualified for the 10,000-meter national final in his freshman season, missing out by one spot at the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Sacramento.

During the 2019 cross country season, Mwaura placed third at the WCC Championships and the NCAA West Regional Championships. His bestever finish by a Zag at the NCAA West Regionals made him only the second GU men’s runner to ever qualify for nationals.

KING JAMES

With just over two laps left in the national final of the 10,000 meters, James Mwaura was in eighth place in the back of the front pack. In his penultimate race as a Gonzaga Bulldog, the senior made a big kick and shot to first place with 600 meters remaining. Zag fans crept to the edge of their seats and were proud to see the Bulldog logo right in the mix for a national title.

After four years in a GU uniform, Mwaura will go down as one of the greatest runners in program history.

“Wow we got a good one in James Mwaura,” Gonzaga Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Pat Tyson said when signing Mwaura on May 3, 2018. “This kid is the real deal! Many coaches consider James one of the top prospects in the country! He will elevate the men’s and women’s programs at Gonzaga like no other recruit before him. I’ll tell you this, we are not just getting a runner, we are getting a young man who is chasing the American Dream! He told me he wants to

get a college degree and make a difference in the world. The Gonzaga environment cultivates that mentality. I’m so pumped to help him chase his dreams.”

Mwaura was born in Kenya, but his family moved to Tacoma when he and his younger sister, Patience, were toddlers. His mother, Sophia, played volleyball and his father, Stephen, played soccer at Kenya Polytechnic University.

James opened his collegiate career winning the Clash of the Inland Northwest on Aug. 31, 2018. Two weeks later, he cruised to another first-place finish in his second race. He would lead the Zags to a ninth-place finish at the Pre-Nationals and the program’s first-ever national ranking in his freshman season. Mwaura became the program’s first-ever West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year following a ninth-place finish at the 2018 WCC Championships.

As a freshman, Mwaura had the best-ever

CROSS COUNTRY HONORS

After 465-day break from racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mwaura led Gonzaga to a program-best second-place finish at the West Coast Conference Championships with a runner-up finish in Las Vegas. His 23:02.9 finish set a new program record over an 8K course. That finish got the Bulldogs selected to the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history, where GU placed 27th.

On June 9, 2021, running as the secondever men’s qualifier for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in program history, Mwaura became the second-ever All-American in GU history in his thirdever 10,000-meter race. The sophomore placed ninth in the 10K national final, shattering his own school record time at 27:50.44. He bravely ran with the front pack for the entirety of the 25-lap race. His reward was running under the standard needed to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials. Two days later in the 5,000 meters, Mwaura earned honorable mention AllAmerican honors after a 17th-place finish.

A Gonzaga jersey appeared at the 2021 United States Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, as Mwaura placed 14th in the 10,000 meters. Running for a spot in the 2021 Summer Olympics, he ran with

no fear, jumping out with the front pack at the beginning of the race. At 4,400 meters, he fell to 17th in the 24-runner field. Just 1,600 meters later, he pushed to the front of the race. Mwaura held that lead and was in first with only 2,400 meters left in the race. He was one of six collegians in the race, and he had the third-best collegiate finish. He finished ahead of eight professional runners.

Following the race Mwaura said, “The way I raced, with trials coming up again in three years, I know I can close that gap, and I can fight for a spot at the next Olympics. Hopefully I can be one of those guys that makes it.”

Mwaura would place second again at the 2021 WCC Cross Country Championships, and then fifth at the NCAA West Regionals. He led the Zags to a fifth-place finish at regionals and 26th-place finish in the program’s second straight appearance at nationals. His 36th-place finish at the NCAA Championships made him the first cross country All-American in program history.

During the 2022 outdoor track season, Mwaura was one of five runners to run the five-fastest 5,000-meter times in the history of the Oregon Relays. His time of 13:30.02 sits as the program record. After finishing 12th in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA West Prelims in Arkansas, he qualified for the national championships for the second straight season. Mwaura would place 15th at nationals, becoming the first Zag runner in program history to finish as an All-American in consecutive seasons. His time of 27:50.44 remains as the program record.

In his final cross country season in 2022, Mwaura helped the Bulldog harriers climb to a program-best No. 12 national ranking. GU placed second at the conference

championships, before a best-ever second place finish at the NCAA West Regional Championships. The Zags punched their ticket to its third-consecutive NCAA Championships appearance with the program’s first-ever automatic bid.

Mwaura became the first Bulldog to reach an NCAA Final three times in 2023, after advancing through the NCAA West Preliminaries in the 10k and 5k. In his final meet for Gonzaga, he kept finding new ways to make history. Mwaura raced his way to the best individual finish by a GU athlete and his third-straight All-American honors in the 10,000m Final in Austin, Texas, finishing fourth with a 28:14.64 time that ranks as his fastest of the season. He was the first GU runner to earn AllAmerican honors three times, and the first to make the All-America First Team in the 10K.

Mwaura leaves a legacy of the program’s 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter outdoor track record holder. He owns the school’s fastest time in cross country over an 8,000-meter course. He has the secondbest indoor 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter times in program history, along with No. 4 in the indoor mile, No. 4 over a 10K course in cross country and No. 10 in the outdoor 1,500 meters.

“James Mwaura will leave as arguably of the the most storied athletes in Gonzaga history. Five years ago when James made a visit to Spokane, he was approached by then men’s basketball assistant Tommy Lloyd, who told James, ‘you can go anywhere, a lot of great places, but if you come to Gonzaga, you’ll be the guy.’ He became that guy. We will miss James Mwaura, but his legacy will live on forever in Gonzaga history. Thank you James.

PAT TYSON Director of Cross Country/Track & Field; Head Men’s Coach

A FANTASTIC FINISH

Gonzaga women’s golfer Cassie Kim capped off her collegiate career with one of her best outings of the season, carding a 69 (-3) in the final round of the NCAA Pullman Regional. The Zag senior ended in a tie for 32nd at even-par (216) at Palouse Ridge Golf Club. Kim was the first Zag chosen for the NCAA Regionals since 2017.

Kim climbed 15 spots on the leaderboard on the final day, the second-biggest jump in the 66-golfer field. After opening the tournament with a 73, and a 74 on Tuesday, she played a bogey-free round on the final day. The Yakima, Wash., native made 39 pars in the tournament, which was the fourth-most in the field, and was even-par on the course’s five Par-3 holes.

Kim finished the season with a team-best 73.17 average round score, which ranks third all-time in program history. She had a 74.73 career round average in 91 rounds, which ranks fourth all-time at GU. She had five of her 10 Top-10 finishes this season, two of her four Top-5 finishes were also in 2022-23. Kim earned co-medalist honors at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational on Oct. 26 and was named the WCC co-Golfer of the Month in March. She matched the team’s low round of the season at 67 (-5)

in the first round of the Rainbow Wahine Invitational.

Following the season, Kim was named Academic All-District selected by College Sports Communicators. The CSC honor recognizes the nation’s top studentathletes for their combined performances in the athletic realm and in the classroom. Kim boasted a 3.75 grade point average, majoring in Biochemistry. She was a twotime Academic All-West Coast Conference selection, along with a two-time All-WCC selection for her efforts on the course.

Quynn Duong earned Academic AllConference honors for the fourth straight season. She had a 3.78 grade point average and graduated with a business administration degree, while Kim boasted a 3.75 grade point average, majoring in Biochemistry. Duong was a three-time All-WCC selection for her efforts on the course, and Kim earned that honor twice.

Duong is second all-time at Gonzaga with a 73.77 career scoring average, while her 72.85 average in 2018-19 is the lowest in program history. She finished her career with 15 Top-10 finishes, including 10 in the Top-5. The San Jose, Calif., native, had a 74.85 scoring average this past season.

Grace Lee was named the 2022-23 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year the league and joined Kim on the AllWCC Team. Lee placed fifth at the WCC Championships and became the first Zag to earn WCC Freshman of the Year honors since Duong in 2019.

Lee had her best round of the WCC Championships on the third day, carding a 71 (-1) in the final round. She rose two spots on the leaderboard with four birdies and 11 pars in Round 3. It was the freshman’s first Top-5 finish of the season, and second in the Top-10. Lee’s 37 pars in the tournament were the fourth-most in the 25-golfer field. She had back-to-back rounds of 73 (+1) in the first and second rounds. The Bellevue, Wash., native, finished one-over in the tournament with a 217 total.

Gonzaga won the Pat Lesser-Harbottle SeattleU Invitational tournament title at the Tacoma Country Club on Oct. 4. The Bulldogs were led by sixth-place finishes from Kim and Chaewon Baek. Both Zags were one-over (217) in the tournament.

Grace Lee WCC Freshman of the Year

Women’s rowing achieved an amazing accomplishment this year as the team won its eighth straight West Coast Conference Championship and its 21st overall. The title gave Gonzaga an automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships for the ninth time in program history.

The Bulldogs dominated the competition at the conference regatta, taking first in almost every race and finishing the day with 42 team points, tying the school record.

“It was a strong effort by all to represent our entire program!” head coach Andrew Derrick said. “We are proud to represent the WCC at the National Championship!”

The WCC also gave out honors at the end of the regatta. Andrew Derrick won the WCC Coach of the Year honors for the second time in his career. Grace Dojan was also named the WCC Rower of the Year as Sailor Hawes was crowned the WCC Coxswain of the year for the second time in her career.

Four Zags were tabbed to the All-WCC First Team including, Hannah Cooney, Grace Dojan, Camille Ruhlin-Hicks and Perrine Sarraute.

In the Varsity 8 race, the Zags took first with a time of 6:38.492 as San Diego was behind them with a time of 6:42.937. The Bulldogs won the 2V8 race by finishing in 6:45.51 as LMU placed second with 6:52.918. In the 1V4 competition, Gonzaga won by nine seconds with 7:31.386. LMU placed second with 7:40.781. GU also competed in the 2V4 race and placed third with a 7:45.683 finishing time. LMU placed first with 7:39.842.

The Zags then went on to compete at the NCAA Championships in Pennsauken, New Jersey. The team championship was composed of 22 teams. Eleven conferences were awarded automatic qualification, and the remaining eleven slots were filled with at-large selections to complete the championship field. Teams qualifying for the NCAA Championships are required to field two boats of eight rowers and one boat of four rowers.

After three straight days of racing, the Zags took 19th overall as a team. The team recorded 25 points to secure a top 20 finish after their third-straight day of racing.

The 1V8 boat finished the season by winning their heat in the D Finals. Going against Navy, George Washington and Jacksonville, the Bulldogs came out on top with a finishing time of 6:42.849, edging Navy by less than a second to finish 19th overall. Gonzaga won their heat in the 2V8 race as well in the D Finals with a time of 7:06.387. The Zags competed against Northeastern, Jacksonville and Navy to win the race by four seconds and place 19th. The 1V4 crew was the only boat

to compete in the C Finals and finished fifth with a time of 8:01.297. GU went against Indiana, Penn, Rutgers, Southern California and Syracuse to take 18th overall.

“I am very proud of the effort these women put in this year,” Derrick said. “I think we accomplished a lot and left some things on the table we will look to happen next year. Of course, it will be tough without this year’s seniors, but the program is strong and heading in the right direction.”

Cassie Kim

WHAT A SEASON

FOR GONZAGA W0MEN’S BASKETBALL

The 2022-23 Gonzaga women’s basketball season was one to remember. The team had its ups and downs like any other year, but this time it just felt special.

The season started off with a bang. The Zags went to compete in a loaded Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas after starting the season 3-0.

In an overtime thriller, Gonzaga defeated No. 6 Louisville 79-67. It marked the highest-ranked win in Gonzaga women’s basketball history. The win came with a tough loss though, as starting point guard Kayleigh Truong sustained an injury in her foot. At the time, the team didn’t know the extent of it and she had to sit out the next game versus Marquette. In another backand-forth battle, the Bulldogs came up just short against Marquette, 70-66, the next day, without Truong.

Twenty-four hours later, Gonzaga played ranked Tennessee with Kayleigh Truong just being able to contribute six minutes.

The Zags won the game, 73-72, to secure third place in the Bahamas and its first win over the Lady Vols in Gonzaga women’s basketball history.

But the win came at another great cost. The team then went on to find out that Kayleigh Truong was out for 12 weeks

with a torn ligament in her foot. Maud Huijbens, the first player off the bench, was concussed and ended up being out until Feb. 16. Then other injuries and sickness plagued the team, to the point that the Zags could only suit up seven players at No. 2 Stanford.

In most cases, having your starting point guard out and only seven, or eight, or nine players available to play would take a team down. But not this one.

The team finished 28-5 overall despite all the adversities and were crowned the 2022-2023 WCC Regular Season Champions for the seventh time in head coach Lisa Fortier’s nine seasons at the helm and 18th title overall. The team finished the season undefeated at home with a perfect 15-0 record and had a sold-out crowd to watch Courtney

Vandersloot’s jersey be recognized. Lisa Fortier was named the WCC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career along with being named a Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist. As a team, the Bulldogs made their sixth-straight NCAA Tournament Appearance and was ranked as high as No. 15 in the AP Poll.

Kaylynne Truong stepped up to be the leader of the team and ended up being named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. She now holds the record for the most made three-pointers in a season

with 94 and she was tabbed with AP AllAmerican honors. Yvonne Ejim led the team with 16.8 points and eight rebounds a game. She was given All-WCC First Team honors and was named a Becky Hammon Player of the Year finalist for her efforts.

And the best part of it all could arguably be that all seniors decided to come back to Gonzaga, and we get to do it all over again next season.

Gonzaga vs Louisville6 | Battle for Atlantis | NCAA WBB Photo of the Week: December 1, 2022

HONORING LEGENDS

This past year, Gonzaga recognized former Zag student-athletes that not only made impacts in their respective programs’ histories, but also through the campus and community.

SOPHIE WHITTLE

On Sept. 24, GU honored women’s tennis standout Sophie Whittle with a banner reveal at Stevens Center. Whittle competed at Gonzaga from 2015 to 2019. She capped her successful career at GU by being named an Intercollegiate Tennis Singles AllAmerican, the school’s first-ever in the sport, in 2019.

After a fall season that featured an ITA National Championship in singles, Whittle was ranked No. 1 in the nation and went on to remain in the top 15 throughout the spring. Additionally, during her senior year, she reached No. 17 in doubles with playing partner Graciela Rosas.

She has a school-record 30 wins in one season and a program-best of 90 overall wins during her career as a Zag. She earned WCC Player of the Year, All-WCC First Team, WCC All-Academic Team and WCC All-Tournament Team honors.

Whittle also became the first Zag to compete in the NCAA Singles Championships in 2019. Additionally, she competed in the NCAA Doubles Championships with Rosas in the same year. Adding to her list of accolades, Whittle was also chosen as the nation’s Most Improved Senior and the recipient of the prestigious Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship award.

DAN DICKAU

On Feb. 9, the Bulldogs paid tribute to former Zag great Dan Dickau before a home win over San Francisco. Dickau set America on fire in 2001-02 as the Gonzaga University senior became the Bulldogs first first-team Associated Press All-America selection. Dickau helped guide the Bulldogs to a No. 6 national ranking and at the time a school-record 29 victories.

Dickau was Gonzaga’s third John R. Wooden Award Player of the Year candidate and the first Wooden Award Top Five AllAmerican. Dickau was also a finalist for the James Naismith Player of the Year Award as he earned West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors. He was then selected with the final pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, who in turn traded his rights to the Atlanta Hawks.

Dickau continued the long tradition of excellent guard play at Gonzaga, but at the same time put his own unique stamp on the position. He wore No. 21 at Gonzaga because the No. 12 worn by his idol John Stockton has not been available at Gonzaga since Stockton finished playing in 1984.

Dickau finished his two-year Gonzaga career ranking fourth on the career three-pointers list, sixth on the career assists chart and 16th in career scoring with 1,125 points.

KELLY OLYNYK

Prior to a victory over Kent State on Dec. 5, Gonzaga raised Kelly Olynyk’s number in the McCarthey Athletic Center. Olynyk helped lead the Gonzaga men’s basketball program to its firstever No. 1 national ranking in the 2012-13 season.

Olynyk broke onto the national basketball scene and became one of the unique stories of the 2013 season. After redshirting as a junior the previous season to re-tool his body, he displayed a new fervor for the game and became an inside force. He was up for every national award offered: Associated Press All-America First Team, U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-America First Team, U.S. Basketball Writers Association District IX Player of the Year; District IX First Team, John R. Wooden Award Top Five All-American, Sporting News All-America First Team, Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy Finalist, and Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Award Top 30.

Olynyk was also named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, All-WCC First Team, Capital One Academic All-America® Division I First Team, Capital One Academic All-America® Division I District 8 First Team, West Coast Conference Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team, Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was selected to the Old Spice Classic All-Tournament Team.

Olynyk averaged 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game and 1.1 blocks per game in helping Gonzaga to a school-record 32 wins in a 32-3 season. The Bulldogs finished the season ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 for their inaugural No. 1 ranking, and earned a No. 1 seed into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

Olynyk, born in Toronto, Ontario, and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia, also joined an elite group in earning AP All-America and Capital One Academic All-America® accolades, becoming just the fifth player overall since 2000 and the second Zag to earn both distinctions. He posted a 3.53 undergraduate GPA in earning his Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in accounting.

COURTNEY VANDERSLOOT

Prior to a key win over Portland on Feb. 11, Courtney Vandersloot’s No. 21 joined the recognized numbers in the McCarthey Athletic Center. In the 2011 WNBA Draft, Vandersloot became the first Bulldog player in school history to be drafted in the first round of the WNBA, as she was the third overall pick, taken by the Chicago Sky.

Vandersloot, the three-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year, was named to the Associated Press All-America Team second-team and State Farm Coaches’ All-America Basketball team, and USBWA All-America, was named the Nancy Lieberman Award winner as the top point guard in the nation, and was the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award winner during her time as a Zag.

She capped her GU career by leading the Zags to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, the West Coast Conference Tournament and regular season titles and a 31-5 record in 2010-11. She earned numerous All-America accolades, was the nation’s top player 5-foot-8 and under, was named the WCC Player of the Year and also was named to the NCAA Tournament All-Spokane Regional Team.

Vandersloot led the nation in assists per game in 2009-10 and 2010-11. She broke the NCAA single-season assist record with 367 in her senior season. She is also the first NCAA Division I player, male or female, to amass career totals of 2,000 points and 1,000 assists.

At Gonzaga, Vandersloot earned the John R. Wooden Award AllAmerica and Associated Press All-America honorable mention. During her college career, she was the only women’s player in West Coast Conference history to be named the conference’s player of the year three times and also the only player to be named MVP of the WCC Women’s Tournament three times.

GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

For Scott and Liz Morris, being a Zag is a source of pride – it’s a certain set of qualities that are distilled through the environment at GU, a place that’s become core to their sense of home after decades in Spokane.

“[Former Gonzaga Athletic Director] Mike [Roth] always said it best – that in athletics, the Zags win on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” recalled Scott, an alum and former CEO of Avista. “And every team conducts themselves that way. Every coach has taken that philosophy to heart … that’s the big piece of why Liz and I are so committed to athletics.”

And in the time, the two have exemplified the ethos of giving back through immense generosity that has left an indelible mark on both athletics and the school as a whole. The story of Scott and Liz Morris is one that intertwines their personal passions and a deep-rooted commitment to making a difference. Their shared love for Gonzaga University that has brought

them closer to the heart of the community, and it’s kept them plenty busy. Both Scott and Liz are proud alumni of Gonzaga, and their experiences as students played a pivotal role in shaping their desire to give back. The pair were married in GU’s Jesuit house, where their four children were later baptized.

If you ask them, the school has left just as much of a mark on them as they have left on it.

“They provided us with lifelong friendships and that’s something that you don’t see very often,” Liz said. “We’re very, very grateful for it.”

As we’ve all witnessed over the past two decades, the unique role of Gonzaga Athletics in shaping and expanding the school’s brand and reach can’t be understated. Strong academics and competitive programs are both great points of emphasis, but both Scott and Liz agree that there’s something more

to what denotes a “Zag”. Understanding the transformative power of sports, the Morris’ have become catalysts for leveraging Gonzaga’s ability to produce professionals who can make a positive impact on the communities they move on to.

And if they return to Spokane and/or Gonzaga to become part of it all, then it’s all the better.

“It’s a real connection that the university has with the community and they don’t seem to be losing sight of that — they’ll continue to foster and support it,” Liz said.

“When you go to other athletic venues and watch things, sometimes you get that feeling that they love the team for the sport. I think Spokane really loves Gonzaga for who Gonzaga is and what it’s brought to the community and also the sport.”

Since 1980, the Morris’ contributions to Gonzaga Athletics have been multifaceted, driven by a genuine passion for the

university’s mission of holistic education and service. They’ve made significant financial contributions that have funded state-of-the-art facilities, enhanced academic support programs, and provided scholarships to deserving studentathletes. Their generosity has helped Gonzaga attract top-tier talent, enabling the university to compete at the highest levels and foster a culture of excellence.

“One of the first things that we put our money into was more support services for the student athletes so that they could complete their degree on time and then start giving back to the community in other ways other than just athletics,” Liz said. “And Gonzaga really makes sure that they get the training ground for that by involving them in community activities and mandating that they be a part of solutions

in the community – they take that into their life after graduation.”

Moreover, the Morris’ generosity extends beyond Gonzaga – they’ve made significant donations to various charitable organizations, focusing on causes such as education, healthcare, and community development. Their contributions have enabled access to quality education for underprivileged students, supported medical research initiatives, and revitalized struggling communities. In collaboration with Gonzaga’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Morris Undergraduate Research Fellowship was established. This program provides students with opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research across diverse disciplines, empowering them to

We are incredibly grateful for Scott and Liz’s leadership and generosity over the last three decades,” Gonzaga Athletic Director Chris Standiford said. “As Gonzaga alums, they embody the mission and Jesuit values that guide our department and University. Scott and Liz’s holistic view of student-athlete support helps them be successful academically, athletically and to be the best version of themselves in life beyond GU. We appreciate their passion and commitment for Gonzaga.

CHRIS STANDIFORD Athletic Director

pursue their academic passions and make meaningful contributions to their fields. That magical moment in 1999 was the first time Gonzaga had truly represented itself on the national level, and as the Zags’ basketball prowess has accelerated to an elite level in the decades since the Morris’ have seen the advancements GU athletics have made possible everywhere in Spokane. To Scott, continuing to push the boundaries of GU’s reach and reputation isn’t just for show – it’s leverage for constant improvement, seeking new ways that the university can do more for the people and communities it serves.

“It isn’t just, ‘Let’s just be the best basketball program in the country,’” Scott said. “It’s, ‘Let’s be the best athletic department in the country ... Let’s have the best academics in the country. Let’s make sure our students have the best education and Jesuit values in the country.’”

“That national prominence is really a big piece, and it’s broad -- it isn’t just singularly focused. And that’s what makes Gonzaga so special.”

Scott was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2004 and served until 2021, for a total of 17 years. Scott was elected as Board Chair in December 2015 and served in that capacity for three years, until December 2018.

SCOTT AND LIZ MORRIS’ ENDURING IMPACT ON GONZAGA ATHLETICS AND BEYOND

LIFE SKILLS

STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

S.A.A.C. is comprised of representatives from each Gonzaga athletic team whose main purpose is to serve as a studentathlete voice regarding student-athlete welfare within Gonzaga’s Athletic Department, the WCC, and the NCAA. As role models, S.A.A.C. also strives to develop leaders through Gonzaga’s long standing Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic traditions by being firmly committed to service, opportunity, and social justice.

S.A.A.C. OFFICERS

President

Kailee Jackson, Women’s Rowing

Vice President

Grayson Sterling, Baseball

Secretary

Rhea Jansen, Volleyball

Diversity & Inclusion Chair

Yvonne Ejim, Women’s Basketball

Media & Promotions Chairs

Cassie Kim, Women’s Golf

Calli Stokes, Women’s Basketball

Student-Athlete Wellness Chairs

Michael Lewis, Men’s XC/Track

Jackson Lyne, Men’s XC/Track

Volunteer Co-Chairs

Kupa’a Fernandez, Men’s Soccer

Alyssa Nguyen, Women’s Golf

S.A.A.C. Social Justice Series

For the second year, our S.A.A.C. Diversity & Inclusion Chair continued to organize our S.A.A.C. Social Justice Series. Student-athletes continued in active conversations by listening to TedTalks and working through activities discussing intersectionality, belonging verses inclusion, and many others. An initiative for S.A.A.C. Social Justice Series was to actively participate in local community events. In celebration of Black History Month, student-athletes joined the Spokesman Review-Black Voices Symposium where high school students shared their poetry, prose, and art to showcase their personal experiences. Also, S.A.A.C. Social Justice Series went to Feast World Kitchen to enjoy an authentically cooked meal as well as hear their mission- driven by diversity, equity, and inclusion. Feast World Kitchen was designed for people who have recently immigrated to Spokane to share

their culture as well as find support in their transition. The S.A.A.C. Social Justice Series has been able to expand not only through campus partners like Diversity, Inclusion, Community & Equity (DICE), but also in the Spokane Community.

S.A.A.C. Mental Health Movie Nights

S.A.A.C. provided two Mental Health Movie Nights, one in the fall and one in the spring. For the fall movie night our studentathletes selected The Princess Bride. It is a fun and lighthearted movie before finals week. The second one, Headstrong: Mental Health and Sports, focuses on the lives of professional athletes and their struggles with mental health and life after sport. Following the documentary studentathletes had an opportunity to discuss and share.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Student-Athlete Leadership Institute

The Student-Athlete Leadership Institute is designed to further develop studentathletes’ leadership skills as students, athletes, and leaders on campus and in the community.

This year’s participants included Owen Kirby (MROW), Matt Simmons (MROW), Carp Mukal (MXC/Track), Paul Talens (MXC/T), Ansel Tucker (MXC/T), Arthus Bassetiere (MTEN), Calli Stokes (WBB), Tatum Heyl (WROW), Camille RuhlinHicks (WROW), Katie Sierhuis (WROW), Grace Ehler (VB), and Caroline Wernli (WTEN).

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

GU alumni, supporters, and constituents, as they pursue their future careers.

The annual Senior Networking Social was held in the fall, an event that helps prepare our senior student-athletes for life after graduation. They had the opportunity to practice networking and selfpromotion skills with athletic department constituents and invited guests.

ZAG COMMUNITY BUILDING

S.A.A.C. prides itself on bringing together all Zags, making them feel part of the family by providing community-building events. They organized three events including a Welcome Back Kickball tournament, a Winter Formal, and a Spring Tailgater Bean-Bag-Toss tournament.

GONZAGA FAMILY HAVEN

COMMUNITY OUTREACH HIGHLIGHTS

NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETE LEADERSHIP FORUM

The annual NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum has been a space for studentathletes to learn and develop leadership skills since 1997. This year through nominations with the WCC, Yvonne Ejim was selected to join this prestigious forum. Here she was able to connect with other student-athletes across conferences and divisions to hear from guest speakers while connecting through the NCAA Leadership programs.

“My experience at the NCAA SALF was an honorable and memorable one. I would say that it is one of life’s moments I won’t ever be able to forget. It has changed my life in so many ways, but especially in the intentionality of how I decide to live my life, why I do what I do, and being able to revisit and even define those values in my life was impactful not only for me but for the people around me. This forum helped me gain skills that I can use to be a better person to serve the others around me throughout my life and this clarity has come from the Leadership Forum and I am forever grateful.” -

Yvonne Ejim

The Life Skills Program prepares studentathletes for their futures following graduation and life after sport through a variety of career development programs. Close relationships and collaboration with GU’s Career and Professional Development department further support student-athletes with their career planning. This year we held our annual Sophomore Career Meeting laying the foundation for our programming discussing resumes and other helpful tools as well as our Junior Panic Assessment to help gauge what student-athletes next best steps are looking toward their senior year.

The twelfth Senior Student-Athlete Resume Book was published, featuring portfolios of the graduating class of 2023. Each of their resumes displays the unique achievements and accolades they earned as a Zag. The goal of the Resume Book is to assist student-athletes in networking with

Gonzaga Athletics has a unique partnership with Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington and Gonzaga University. Student-athletes were able to build a close relationship with Gonzaga Family Haven residents through educational programming, sports activities and serving meals. Student-athletes were able to connect and support families that faced homelessness.

3,929 of student-athletes participated in a community outreach event

hours served

92% teams had a 100% participation rate

11 items collected for warm clothing drive

1,291 items collected for toiletry items drive $573 + 1,958 hours served by the Baseball team, averaging 21 hours per student-athlete

114

819 student-athletes volunteered at the annual Trunk-or-Treat event in partnership with Catholic Charities

AND MORE:

Zags went to Garfield Elementary on Election Day to read “I Voted” and talk about their college experience.

With the opening of the new Gonzaga Family Haven, the Zags have been able to create a lasting partnership with the families that live there, consistently going to play games and do crafts. We filled 72 Christmas stockings with gas and grocery cards, games, toys, and stuffed animals specific to each family.

The Zags organized an Easter Egg Hunt on campus offering over 1400 eggs to the Catholic Charities community.

ACADEMICS

NCAA GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE

Gonzaga Athletics continues to excel in the rate at which we graduate our scholarship student-athletes. Based on data released in November 2022, Gonzaga achieved a 97% GSR, second highest in the conference and Top 10% in the country across all Division I institutions.

CHI ALPHA SIGMA

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

DEPARTMENTAL GPA & HONORS

The Departmental GPA in Spring 2023 was a 3.57, which is a new record for Gonzaga Athletics! Six of our athletic teams also set Team GPA records in either the Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 semesters. Our 128 studentathletes earning departmental honors (Dean’s List or President’s List) in Spring 2023 is also an all-time high. In addition, Spring 2023 marks the 15th consecutive semester with a Departmental GPA above a 3.30 and 7th above a 3.4.

NCAA ACADEMIC PROGRESS RATE

STUDENT-ATHLETE MAJOR DISTRIBUTION

Gonzaga student-athletes continue to pursue their desired majors, across all of our Colleges/Schools.

Chi Alpha Sigma is the national studentathlete honor society, recognizing senior student-athletes who have achieved above a 3.4 cumulative GPA while earning their varsity letter. This year, we inducted 51 student-athletes and recognized the students in front of our fans at a men’s basketball game in February.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Ezra Samperi (Baseball) was awarded the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, after earning a 3.98 cumulative GPA majoring in Kinesiology. Alyssa Bienfang (Women’s Cross Country/Track) received the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A member of our University’s Honors Program, Alyssa earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in French with a cumulative GPA of 3.97.

Oliver Andersson (Men’s Tennis) was one of four seniors in the School of Business Administration to receive the School of Business Administration Excellence Award, given to the students with the highest cumulative GPA. Oliver was also awarded the Senior Class Award, a distinction granted every year to the senior undergraduate student who has the highest calculated GPA based on Gonzaga coursework for the fall and spring semesters. Oliver graduated with a 4.0 undergraduate GPA and will return next year to pursue his masters.

Alicia Anderson (Women’s Cross Country/ Track), a Civil Engineering major, earned the William A. Garrigan Award, a singular award given to the member of the graduating class who has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average for four years of undergraduate work at Gonzaga. Alicia graduated with a 4.0 undergraduate GPA and will return next year to pursue her masters.

Ezra Samperi: Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Alicia Anderson: William A. Garrigan Award

Oliver Andersson: School of Business Excellence Award and Senior Class Award

Alyssa Bienfang: Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Gonzaga also boasts the best departmental multi-year average NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the WCC at 993.

VISION STATEMENT

THESE ARE THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE PURSUIT TO DISTINGUISH OURSELVES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF INTERCOLLEGIATE COMPETITION.

DIVERSIFIED GREATNESS

As a department, we have a responsibility to be equitable in the opportunities we provide our student-athletes and coaches because we expect greatness on multiple layers—individually, throughout each team, and throughout the department entirely. Isolated successes are not enough. In the absence of greatness at one or more of these layers, we fail in our pursuit. Society embraces a winner, and we believe achievement breeds inspiration—of the self, of peers, and of the community. Our student-athletes— our leaders—must inspire. And so they all must achieve. Without achievement, our student-athletes have less of an opportunity to impact our institution’s mission and have less of an opportunity to extend greatness beyond their sport. Finally, without greatness throughout our department, there is no distinction between “us” and “them.”

PASSION FOR SUCCESS

Success must not be defined simply by winning or losing games, matches, races, or contests. Instead, we believe there are many components that must coexist for success to truly be achieved. Strong academics, social consciousness, accountability, leadership, commitment to community, and diversified greatness for all eighteen (18) of our sports comprise the foundation. It is the courage to take risks, to refuse to see limitations, and to sustainably prevail across all programs that define our success. It is the contribution of many individuals to create a deep and varied culture combined for a common goal—a broad-based, nationally-renowned athletic program.

STUDENT-CENTERED PHILOSOPHY

The student-athlete is central to our department. Through athletic scholarship, we are affording the opportunity to a uniquelytalented student to be part of a caring, supportive, disciplined environment where they will be formed into a better individual, a better leader, who in turn impacts his or her team, our institution, and the greater community during and after their educational careers. We are educators of young people, and the teachable moments often happen in ways unrelated to the outcome of the game. It is in the process of winning or losing that our studentathletes learn discipline, work ethic, social responsibility, character, and what it means to be a teammate, a citizen, and a role model. It is through these educational experiences that we work to develop the mind, body, and spirit of each student-athlete so they can learn from failures and capitalize on successes. As coaches, as staff, and as a university community, we encourage and expect our student-athletes to reach beyond what seems possible. It is our responsibility to ensure that each student-athlete has the resources and support to rise to that challenge.

Wil Smith ran the first ever Sub-4 Minute Mile in program history at the WSU Open on Febraury 3, 2023