SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference announced on Wednesday its 2023 men's cross country preseason honors and Portland has been picked to win the WCC Men's Cross Country Championship.
The preseason poll and the All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the Conference’s eight head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own teams or student-athletes.
The Pilots, currently ranking ninth nationally, took first with 47 points, including five first-place votes. The Pilots tied with Gonzaga with the most runners on the preseason team with three. Among the Pilots on the preseason team is All-Region honorees
Bradley Peloquin and
Matt Strangio.
No. 30 Gonzaga finished second in the preseason poll earning 45 points and three first-place votes. Zags'
Wil Smith picked up another preseason accolade after earning the recognition last fall. Santa Clara was voted to finish third in the preseason poll collecting 37 total points. The Broncos garnered second-most runners on the preseason team with two.
LMU and San Francisco each garnered one athlete on the Men's Cross Country Preseason All-WCC Team.
The 2023 WCC Cross Country Men’s and Women’s Championship will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, hosted by Pepperdine at Alumni Park in Malibu, Calif.
2023 WCC Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
| Place |
Team |
First Place |
Points |
| 1. |
Portland |
5 |
47 |
| 2. |
Gonzaga |
3 |
45 |
| 3. |
Santa Clara |
|
37 |
| 4. |
LMU |
|
31 |
| 5. |
San Francisco |
|
22 |
| 6. |
Saint Mary's |
|
22 |
| 7. |
Pepperdine |
|
14 |
| 8. |
San Diego |
|
7 |
| 2023 Men’s Cross Country Preseason All-WCC Team |
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
| Ed Buck |
San Francisco |
Gr. |
| Jonas Gersten |
Portland |
Jr. |
| Riley Moore |
Gonzaga |
Sr. |
| Bradley Peloquin |
Portland |
Jr. |
| Kyle Radosevich |
Gonzaga |
Jr. |
| Nicholas Russell |
Santa Clara |
Sr. |
| Wil Smith |
Gonzaga |
Jr. |
| Matt Strangio |
Portland |
Jr. |
| Adam Trafecanty |
LMU |
Sr. |
| Ian Twyman |
Santa Clara |
Sr. |