IRVINE, Calif. -- UC Santa Barbara is favored to win The Big West according to the 2023 Big West Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Preseason Poll.
 
The Gauchos (10-4-6, 4-1-4 BW) earned three first-place votes for a total of 72 points. Last year, UC Santa Barbara tied for second in the regular season standings and was the runner-up at The Big West Championship.
 
The coaches also voted on an 11-person Preseason All-Big West squad. Three Gauchos were featured on the preseason team in junior midfielder Lucas Gonzalez, junior forward Alexis Ledoux and senior goalkeeper Leroy Zeller. Last season, Gonzalez tallied two goals and six assists en route to an All-Big West Second Team selection, while Ledoux compiled one goal and three assists. Zeller, a First Team honoree last season and the reigning Co-Goalkeeper of the Year, played in 20 games and sported a 0.99 goals-against average.
 
Defending Big West double champion UC Riverside (8-8-4, 5-2-2 BW) was picked to finish second after earning four first-place votes, the most of any team, for 69 points and senior defender Brendan Clark earned a spot on the preseason team. Clark totaled seven goals and seven assists from the back line and was an All-Big West First Team selection last year.
 
CSUN (9-6-4, 5-3-1 BW) received two first-place votes totaling 63 points to come in third. Matador junior forward Jamar Ricketts was placed on the preseason team after earning All-Big West first team honors with five goals and three assists in 2022.
 
One point shy of the Matadors was UC Irvine (6-12-2, 5-3-1 BW) with 62 points and one first-place vote. The Anteaters were represented on the preseason team by senior defender Eddy Berumen and junior midfielder Francesco Montanile. Berumen compiled three assists and Montanile recorded two goals and four assists last season.
 
Sacramento State (9-8-2, 4-5 BW) and UC Davis (5-9-4, 4-3-2) tied for fifth in the preseason poll with 42 points apiece and each had one representative on the preseason squad. Hornet senior forward Austin Wehner was a 2022 All-Big West First Team honoree with four goals and three assists. Aggie senior forward Ethan Hoard was an honorable mention selection with three goals and two assists last year.
 
Cal State Fullerton (38), UC San Diego (33), Cal Poly (20) and Cal State Bakersfield (9) finish the rest of the poll. Cal State Fullerton junior defender Giovanni Calderon and UC San Diego senior midfielder Alessandro Allen round out the preseason team. In 2022, Calderon recorded one goal and one assist for an All-Big West Honorable Mention distinction, and Allen had four assists to earn a spot on the Second Team.
 
Regular season contests across The Big West kicks off Thursday, Aug. 24. After a month of non-conference action, Big West play is set to commence Sept. 27.