IRVINE, Calif. (August 18, 2021) – UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis are tied for the top spot in the 2021 Big West Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll, voted on annually by the league’s 10 head coaches.  
 

The predictions see the Gauchos and Aggies each coming in at 89 points with three first-place votes apiece. UC Irvine’s 72 points is followed by Cal State Fullerton’s tally of 65, and CSUN rounds out the top five with 62 points. The Anteaters and Titans both received one first-place vote, as did Cal Poly and CSU Bakersfield. 
 

In 2019, UC Davis earned a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament field after winning both The Big West regular season and championship titles. The national postseason appearance for the Aggies was their first since 2008, and the squad turned in an overall record of 13-5-2 (5-1-1) on the season. The Big West was also represented in the postseason by 2019 preseason favorite UC Santa Barbara, who advanced to the Sweet 16 after defeating California and St. Mary’s.  

The 2020 Big West men’s soccer season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The full poll is as follows: 

The coaches selected 11 players representing five teams to the 2021 preseason All-Big West Men's Soccer Team. The experience-laden team consists of five seniors, three juniors and three sophomores.  UC Davis leads the way with four representatives, with UC Santa Barbara, CSUN and UC Irvine each boasting a pair of selections. 
 

The preseason team is highlighted by 2019 Big West Freshman of the Year Finn Ballard McBride of UC Santa Barbara. McBride was The Big West co-leader with nine goals in 2019, and is the seventh Gaucho to take freshman honors in the last eight seasons. He is joined by teammates Jake Haupt and Andy Velasquez, who each garnered All-Big West Second Team honors in 2019. 

The 2021 men's soccer regular season is slated to begin on Aug. 26, with Big West conference matches kicking off on Sept. 29. View the composite calendar here >>> 
 

About The Big West 
The Big West is an NCAA Division I member with 11 members with the shared goal of empowering every student-athlete in competition and in life and uniting its university communities through championship experiences. Formed in 1969, The Big West membership consists of Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The Big West is united in the pursuit of boundless opportunities, enduring integrity, bold activism, fearless innovation and the pacific spirit of freedom, exploration and progress.  
 
The Big West sponsors 18 sports at the NCAA Division I level: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and women’s water polo.  

For more information, visit BigWest.org or follow The Big West on Twitter @BigWestSports.