With 18 players who have celebrated two straight Big West Tournament championships on the roster, the UCSB women’s soccer team is the coaches’ pick to win the conference regular season title.
The Gauchos received four first-place votes and 75 points in the poll of coaches, which was released Thursday. Cal Poly, which won the 2009 regular season title and lost to UCSB in the tournament final on penalty kicks, is second in the poll with two first-place votes and 61 total points.
UC Irvine, which also picked up two first-place votes, was picked third, followed by Pacific (one first-place vote).
UCSB returns eight regular starters, including 2009 Big West Offensive Player of the Year Kailyn Kugler and first team All-Big West honorees Jacqui Simon and Kylie McDonald. Also back are defender Nicole Romanowski (second team All-Big West) and midfielder Erin Ortega (honorable mention All-Big West).
“We have nine seniors and nine juniors who have been part of two Big West Tournament championship teams and two NCAA teams,” said Gaucho head coach Paul Stumpf. “On top of that, we have a talented group of freshmen, four or five of which will play significant minutes. For those reasons I am optimistic.”
UCSB will open the regular season on Friday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Cal State Northridge in a non-conference game at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium. The Gauchos will also host Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday, Aug. 22 at 5 p.m.
Preseason poll. Big whoop. Article about UC Santa Barbara by Santa Barbara’s Online Sports News.