LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga has been selected as the favorite to repeat as the 2020 WCC champions in the annual preseason poll of the WCC’s 10 head coaches. The Bulldogs claimed seven of 10 first place votes.
 
Gonzaga (29-5, 16-2) claimed 78 points with seven first-place votes to finish atop the preseason poll winning the 2018-19 WCC regular season title. BYU (26-7, 15-3), which claimed the tournament title last season, picked up the remaining three first-place votes and are the preseason pick to finish second in the conference with 75 points.
 
Pacific (19-13, 10-8) earned its highest preseason poll placement since rejoining the conference in the 2013-14 season. The Tigers collected 61 points for third place, edging out a Saint Mary’s (21-12, 12-6) team that is picked fourth with 59 points.
 
Just one point separated fifth and sixth as Santa Clara (14-17, 6-12) claimed fifth with 40 points and Los Angeles area rivals LMU (18-15, 10-8) and Pepperdine (22-12, 12-6) tied for sixth with 39 points each.
 
San Diego, San Francisco and Portland round out the preseason poll with the Toreros (9-21, 2-16) collecting 27 points for eighth, the Dons (7-24, 2-16) collecting 18 points for ninth and the Pilots (13-17, 5-13) collecting 14 points for tenth.
 
Six programs placed at least one student-athlete on the preseason All-West Coast Conference Team with BYU trio of Brenna Chase Drollinger, Sara Hamson and Paisley Johnson leading the way. Gonzaga and Pacific both added two representatives in Jill Townsend and Jenn Wirth for the Bulldogs and Valerie Higgins and Brooklyn McDavid for the Tigers. Also earning Preseason All-Conference honors are Chelsey Gipson of LMU, Tia Hay of Santa Clara and Sam Simons of Saint Mary’s.
 
The preseason poll and All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the conference's 10 head coaches.
 
West Coast Conference play begins on Saturday, December 28. For the most up-to-date schedule with game times and broadcast listings, visit WCCsports.com and follow @WCChoops on Twitter. 
 
2019-20 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
Team (First Place Votes)    Points
1. Gonzaga (7)                            78
2. BYU (3)                                     75
3. Pacific                                     61
4. Saint Mary’s                          59
5. Santa Clara                           40
T6. LMU                                        39
T6. Pepperdine                         39
8. San Diego                              27
9. San Francisco                      18
10. Portland                                14
 
2019-20 ALL-WCC PRESEASON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
Name                                           Institution              Yr.              Pos.
Brenna Chase Drollinger     BYU                           Sr.               G
Chelsey Gipson                        LMU                           Jr.               G
Sara Hamson                            BYU                           Jr.               C
Tia Hay                                        Santa Clara           Sr.               G
Valerie Higgins                         Pacific                      R-Jr.           G
Paisley Johnson                       BYU                           Jr.               G
Brooklyn McDavid                  Pacific                      Jr.               F
Sam Simons                               Saint Mary’s           Soph.         G/F
Jill Townsend                            Gonzaga                 Jr.               G
Jenn Wirth                                  Gonzaga                 Jr.               F