SOMIS, Calif. – Hayden Shieh was the Broncos top individual finisher placing in a tie for 16th and was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year at the WCC Golf Championship, completed Wednesday at the Saticoy Country Club in Somis, Calif.

The Broncos scored their three highest rounds of the season ending the tournament in ninth place at 954. Pepperdine captured the conference title with a 910 total, three shots better than Pacific. "This is a very difficult course," head coach Rob Miller said. "And we just didn't play well. We didn't have it, there was nothing good about it."

On a rotating schedule Pepperdine selected the venue for the event and took advantage of its course knowledge to win for the first time since 2010. "Pepperdine had a clear advantage," Miller said. "This is probably the toughest course these guys will play and it's not easy for teams to come in here that aren't familiar."

The league's coaches voted on postseason awards which were announced at the tournament with Shieh becoming the third Santa Clara player and second in as many years to be named Freshman of the Year. Following the selection of Tyler Kertson last year Santa Clara is the first school with consecutive winners since LMU in 2006.

Shieh competed in all 12 events this season with four top 10 finishes while leading the team in average and below-par rounds. He won his first collegiate title winning the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational in November, the first Bronco individual medalist since Scott Travers in February 2011. "I don't think there were a lot of questions about him being the freshman of the year," Miller noted.

Shieh scored a final round 77 Wednesday ending at 233 (+17) to tie for 16th with a trio of golfers for his seventh top 20 finish of the year. "He had a tough opening round but came back strong to move up," Miller said.

The winds kicked up in Wednesday's final round elevating scores even higher than they were over the first two days. Pepperdine's Cody McManus had the low round of the day at 2-over 74 to squeeze past Pacific's Byron Meth for the individual title with a 4-over 220.

Gio Gandionco was the only other Bronco to shoot below 80 Wednesday scoring 79 to finish at 238.

"We'll regroup and get ready for next year," Miller said. "We can use this as a learning experience and hopefully the guys will be eager to come back and redeem themselves."

WCC CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM RESULTS

1.         Pepperdine          313-288-309 = 910 (+46)

2.         Pacific                 309-288-316 = 913 (+49)

3.         St. Mary's            310-296-311 = 917 (+53)

4.         San Francisco      303-298-322 = 923 (+59)

5.         Brigham Young    309-301-315 = 925 (+61)

6.         San Diego           307-297-326 = 930 (+66)

7.         Gonzaga              314-301-322 = 937 (+73)

8.         LMU                    318-309-317 = 944 (+80)

9.         Santa Clara         310-318-326 = 954 (+90)

SANTA CLARA INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

T16.      Hayden Shieh       80-76-77 = 233 (+17)

T30.      Gio Gandionco     75-84-79 = 238 (+22)

T37.      Drew Miller           81-75-87 = 243 (+27)

T39.      Carlos Briones     75-84-85 = 244 (+28)

42.        Tyler Kertson        80-83-85 = 248 (+32)