BYU’s Shaylee Gonzales, Jeff Judkins Earn Top WCC Postseason Awards
Mar 2, 2022, 1:02 PM | Updated: 1:03 pm
BYU women's basketball guard Shaylee Gonzales earned WCC Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. (Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
(Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s basketball continues to dominate. Now their dominance is carrying over into the awards season.
The 2021-22 West Coast Conference regular-season champions claimed the top postseason awards in the league. Sophomore guard Shaylee Gonzales earned WCC Player of the Year, while BYU head coach Jeff Judkins was named Coach of the Year.
.@byuwbb guard Shaylee Gonzales named @WCChoops Women's Basketball Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. 🏆#BYU #GoCougs #BYUHoops pic.twitter.com/iVc6lXQC17
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2022
Gonzales lays claim to the WCC Player of the Year award for the second year in a row, but this is the first time she didn’t have to share the honor. Last season, Gonzales was a Co-Player of the Year with Gonzaga’s Jenn Wirth.
Third WCC Coach of the Year for BYU Women’s Basketball coach Jeff Judkins
This year is the third time Judkins has earned WCC Coach of the Year recognition; it’s the second consecutive year, first in the 2015-16 season.
This season, Gonzales helped lead BYU to a dominating 15-1 record in conference play. The Gilbert, Arizona native averaged 18.5 points per game during WCC contests.
Jeff Judkins named WCC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. @byuwbb #BYU #GoCougs
📷: @BYUphoto pic.twitter.com/1aXRNP9b4n
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2022
The end-of-year recognition didn’t stop with Gonzales and Coach Judkins. To go along with Gonzales, BYU had two other stars named to the All-WCC Women’s Basketball first team in senior guard Paisley Harding and sophomore forward Lauren Gustin.
BYU produced the most players on the first team, which consisted of 10 players.
Tegan Graham, a former grad transfer from Colgate, also received an Honorable Mention selection from the WCC postseason awards.
BYU opens up the women’s WCC Tournament in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, at 1 p.m. (MT) in the semifinals against an opponent determined after this Saturday’s quarterfinals.
2021-22 All-WCC Women’s First Team
Ali Bamberger, Soph., Forward, Saint Mary’s
Alex Fowler, Soph., Forward, Portland
Shaylee Gonzales, Soph., Guard, BYU
Lauren Gustin, Soph., Forward, BYU
Paisley Harding, Sr., Guard, BYU
Sydney Hunter, Gr., Guard, San Diego
Melody Kempton, Sr., Forward, Gonzaga
Ioanna Krimili, Soph., Guard, San Francisco
Kayleigh Truong, Jr., Guard, Gonzaga
Lindsey VanAllen, Sr., Guard, Santa Clara
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
