SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – 2022 West Coast Conference Women's Soccer champion Santa Clara garnered the top spot in the annual WCC Preseason Coaches Poll as announced on Tuesday. The Broncos will vie for their third straight WCC crown when the 2023 campaign begins on Thursday.
The preseason poll and the All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the conference’s nine head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own teams and student-athletes.
SCU enters the season ranked No. 19 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Broncos amassed 64 points in the coaches balloting, including eight first-place votes.
Portland edged past Pepperdine for second in the coaches poll by one point. The Pilots and the Broncos were two of the WCC's three teams to compete in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Although the Waves just missed out on second in the coaches poll, Pepperdine picked up the other first-place vote to gain some momentum heading into the 2023 campaign.
On the preseason team, Santa Clara and Portland each boasted three of the 13 selections, while Gonzaga, Pepperdine and San Francisco each had two players named to the squad. The preseason team normally consists of 11 members, but this year's team features 13 players due to ties in voting.
2020-21 WCC Freshman of the Year Sally Menti of Santa Clara was named to her third straight WCC Preseason Team. She joins her teammate Annie Karich who was tabbed the 2022 Freshman of the Year and named to the 2022 WCC All-Conference Team. USF's Marissa Vasquez is also a preseason honoree after earning 2022 first-team all-conference honors and preseason honors.
In addition to Menti and Vasquez, Nedya Sawan and Tori Waldeck were also named to last year's preseason team.
Five members on the preseason squad earned All-WCC Second Team honors last fall - Colby Barnett, Bre Norris, Tessa Salvestrin, Cally Togiai and Tatum Wynalda. .
Fans can catch WCC women's soccer action this season on ESPN+ as the conference
announced its expanded relationship with the network earlier on Tuesday.
2023 WCC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
| Place |
Team |
First Place |
Points |
| 1. |
No. 19 Santa Clara |
8 |
64 |
| 2. |
Portland |
|
51 |
| 3. |
Pepperdine |
|
50 |
| 4. |
Gonzaga |
|
48 |
| 5. |
Saint Mary's |
|
32 |
| 6. |
San Francisco |
|
30 |
| 7. |
Pacific |
|
24 |
| 8. |
LMU |
|
17 |
| 9. |
San Diego |
|
8 |
| 2023 All-WCC Women's Soccer Preseason Team |
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
| Colby Barnett |
Santa Clara |
Jr. |
M |
| Lindsey Chau |
San Francisco |
So. |
F |
| Willow Collins |
Gonzaga |
Jr. |
D |
| Annie Karich |
Santa Clara |
So. |
M |
| Sally Menti |
Santa Clara |
Jr. |
M |
| Bre Norris |
Portland |
Jr. |
GK |
| Kelsey Oyler |
Gonzaga |
Jr. |
F |
| Tessa Salvestrin |
Saint Mary's |
So. |
F |
| Nedya Sawan |
Portland |
Sr. |
F |
| Cally Togiai |
Portland |
Jr. |
F |
| Marissa Vasquez |
San Francisco |
Jr. |
M |
| Tori Waldeck |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
M/F |
| Tatum Wynalda |
Pepperdine |
So. |
M/F |