June 10, 2009

USC quarterback Mark Sanchez and swimmer Rebecca Soni were today named 2008-09 Pacific-10 Tom Hansen Conference Medal winners.

Sanchez led USC to its seventh consecutive Pac-10 title and BCS bowl appearance, and was named Offensive MVP of the 2009 Rose Bowl. Soni won a gold medal and a pair of silvers at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, then captured a pair of NCAA titles at the 2009 NCAA meet.

A Conference Medal is awarded annually to each member institution's outstanding senior male and female student-athlete based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.

The Pac-10 recently renamed the award the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who is retiring at the end of June after serving 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.

The Tom Hansen Conference Medal winners will be honored at the State Farm Pride of the Pac-10 Breakfast held in Los Angeles in conjunction with the Pac-10 Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments next March.

Following are the 2008-09 award winners:

Arizona--Craig Sheedy, Diving; Lara Jackson, Swimming

Arizona State--Jeff Pendergraph, Basketball; Kaitlin Cochran, Softball

California--Alex Mack, Football; Dana Vollmer, Swimming

Oregon--Galen Rupp, Track & Field; Anna Poponyak, Lacrosse

Oregon State--Andy Levitre, Football; Saori Haruguchi, Swimming

Stanford--Sho Nakamori, Gymnastics; Foluke Akinradewo, Volleyball

UCLA--Michael Look, Tennis; Jade Machado, Volleyball

USC--Mark Sanchez, Football; Rebecca Soni, Swimming

Washington--Jon Brockman, Basketball; Ashley Charters, Softball

Washington State--Taylor Rochestie, Basketball; Sara Trane, Track & Field