SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – After advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight last season, Portland edged San Diego for first place in the annual WCC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll as announced on Tuesday. The Pilots and Toreros were tied in first-place votes with four each.
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.
Portland enters the season ranked No. 13 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Pilots amassed 46 points in the coaches balloting, narrowly topping USD's 44 points.
USD carries plenty of momentum heading into the 2023 campaign after the Toreros won the 2022 WCC title, earning the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.
An even closer finish took place for third place in the preseason poll. LMU claimed third place with 33 points, one point better than fourth-place Saint Mary's.
On the preseason team, the Pilots picked up four honorees to three for the Toreros. Saint Mary's heard its name called twice on the preseason team, while Santa Clara and San Francisco each placed one on the squad.
2022 WCC Defender of the Year Trevor Dillon from San Diego was tabbed to the WCC preseason team. His Toreros look to repeat as Conference champions after sneaking past the Pilots by one point last season.
Portland's Nick Fernandez, San Diego's Mason Tunbridge and Louis Sterobo from Saint Mary's made the preseason team after being named to the 2022 WCC All-Conference First Team. Sterobo is also making his second straight appearance on the WCC preseason team. Fernandez was previously named to the Conference's preseason team in 2021.
Fans can catch WCC men's soccer action this season on ESPN+ as the conference
announced its expanded relationship with the network last week.
2023 WCC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
| Place |
Team |
First Place |
Points |
| 1. |
No. 13 Portland |
4 |
46 |
| 2. |
San Diego |
4 |
44 |
| 3. |
LMU |
|
33 |
| 4. |
Saint Mary's |
|
32 |
| 5. |
Santa Clara |
|
24 |
| 6. |
Pacific |
|
20 |
| 7. |
San Francisco |
|
18 |
| 8. |
Gonzaga |
|
7 |
| 2023 All-WCC Men's Soccer Preseason Team |
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
| Jacob Babalai |
Portland |
Jr. |
F |
| Kevin Bonilla |
Portland |
Jr. |
D |
| Caden Buckley |
Santa Clara |
Jr. |
M |
| Trevor Dillon |
San Diego |
Sr. |
D |
| Nick Fernandez |
Portland |
So. |
M |
| Max Hamelink |
San Francisco |
Jr. |
M |
| Ross Johnstone |
San Diego |
Sr. |
M |
| Riley Lynch |
Saint Mary's |
Jr. |
F |
| Sebastian Nava |
Portland |
Jr. |
M |
| Louis Sterobo |
Saint Mary's |
Sr. |
D |
| Mason Tunbridge |
San Diego |
Sr. |
M |