FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
SAN BRUNO, Calif. – For the seventh straight year, the University of San Diego has been selected to win the 2014 West Coast Conference baseball championship, in a preseason poll of the WCC’s 10 head coaches. The defending WCC Tournament Champion Toreros earned six of 10 possible first-place votes and 76 overall points in the poll.
Pepperdine University, the 2012 WCC Champions, earned 68 points and picked up one first place vote, while the University of San Francisco, a 2013 NCAA Regional participant, collected 66 points and a pair of first place votes in the annual survey.
Loyola Marymount University captured 56 points to finish fourth, while 2013 regular season champion Gonzaga University rounded out the top-five with 51 votes. BYU was tabbed sixth with 49 points and collected a first place vote. The University of Portland (27), conference newcomer the University of the Pacific (23), Saint Mary’s College (21) and Santa Clara University (13) rounded out the poll.
All told, eight of the 10 WCC schools are represented on the preseason All-West Coast Conference team, led by Pepperdine and San Francisco which placed two position players and a pitcher on the squad. BYU, Gonzaga and San Diego each placed two on the preseason list.
This year’s preseason team features four who were named to the 2013 advance list. No fewer than 11 of the 15 captured All-WCC honors last season.
The 2014 season begins on Friday, February 14, with all 10 West Coast Conference teams in action. For a complete interactive schedule, please visit WCCsports.com, and follow @WCCsports on Twitter for in-game updates throughout the season.
The 2014 West Coast Conference Baseball Championship will be held at Banner Island Ballpark May 22-24 in Stockton, Calif. DETAILS.
2014 WEST COAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
Team (First Place Votes) Points
San Diego (6) 76
Pepperdine (1) 68
San Francisco (2) 66
Loyola Marymount 56
Gonzaga 51
BYU (1) 49
Portland 27
Pacific 23
Saint Mary’s 21
Santa Clara 13
2014 PRESEASON ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM
Player School Year Position
Austin Davidson Pepperdine Jr. 3B
Collin Ferguson Saint Mary’s Jr. UT
Connor Joe San Diego Jr. IF
Corey LeBrun Gonzaga Jr. OF
Hayden Nielsen BYU So. IF
Zach Turner San Francisco Sr. IF
Brock Whitney BYU Sr. IF/OF
Caleb Wood Gonzaga So. IF
Kolten Yamaguchi Pepperdine Jr. C
Bradley Zimmer San Francisco Jr. OF
Pitcher School Year Throws
Abe Bobb San Francisco Sr. RHP
Aaron Brown Pepperdine Jr. LHP
P.J. Conlon San Diego So. LHP
Travis Radke Portland Jr. LHP
Colin Welmon Loyola Marymount Jr. RHP
