SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Gonzaga men's golfer Clayton Thatcher earned the West Coast Conference Postgraduate Scholarship award on Wednesday night at the 14th annual WCC Honors Dinner.
 
At the conclusion of each academic year, the West Coast Conference announces its major individual year-end honors as a celebration of the best and brightest to represent the Conference and its member institutions. The WCC announced the 2023 Commissioner's Cup winner, All-Sports Award winners, Mike Gilleran WCC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, Postgraduate Scholarship recipients, WCC Sportsmanship Award winners and the #WCCRepresent Award winner.
 
Thatcher aspires to attend law school after his previous work experiences in public policy. He has held distinguished congressional internships in Washington D.C. as a policy intern for the Office of the Washington State Attorney General and a policy strategist for Greater Spokane Incorporated, Spokane's Chamber of Commerce and Primary Economic Development organization.
 
He will either work on the Energy and Commerce Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives or in the Olympia/Seattle area in Washington state politics. Thatcher hopes to work in the Solicitor General's Office for the Washington State Attorney General after law school.
 
Thatcher, a recent WCC All-Academic selection, boasted a 3.93 grade point average, earning a degree in business administration. Thatcher appeared in five events this past season and had a 75.79 scoring average. His top finish was a tie for 24^th at The Joust in February.
 
Thatcher is the seventh Bulldog to earn the award since its inception in 2004. He is the first Zag to receive the scholarship since former GU men's soccer player Jacob Kempf in 2019.
 
To be eligible for a WCC Postgraduate Scholarship, a student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, demonstrate significant athletic contributions to his or her sport for a minimum of two years, and have a record of participation in campus or community activities. He or she also must submit a personal statement of intention to attend graduate or professional school for which this scholarship would be awarded.
 
2023 WCC YEAR-END MAJOR HONORS
Commissioner's Cup
BYU
Men's All-Sports Award
LMU
Women's All-Sports Award
BYU
WCC Male Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Noel Caliskan, LMU
WCC Female Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Gabby Blossom, San Diego
WCC Male Postgraduate Scholarship
Clayton Thatcher, Gonzaga
WCC Female Postgraduate Scholarship
Isabella Santavicca, Saint Mary's
WCC Male Sportsmanship Award
Ross Johnstone, San Diego
WCC Female Sportsmanship Award
San Diego Volleyball
#WCCRepresent Award
Sammy Needham, Santa Clara and Saint Mary's Men's Soccer