PORTLAND, Ore. --- Senior goalkeeper Paul Christensen, senior center back Kris Reaves and sophomore forward Benji Michel were named to the 2017 All-West Coast Conference Men's Soccer Team and the Pilots were picked to finish second, which was released on Thursday as part of the league's preseason poll. The Pilots, who are the defending WCC champions, received two first-place votes among the league's eight head coaches.
 
Christensen is the league's reigning goalkeeper of the year, while Michel was tabbed as the league's top freshman last season. Reaves was selected to the All-WCC First Team in 2016, his first year on The Bluff.
 
As a junior in 2016, Christensen posted a league-high seven shutouts. He ranked second in the WCC in goals against average (0.91) and saves per game (3.37) and he was third with .780 overall saves percentage. Against WCC foes, the native of Woodinville, Wash., had a 0.57 GAA and an impressive .857 saves percentage.
 
Michel had a stellar freshman campaign, ranking among the nation's leaders in goals and points all season long. He scored a league-best 10 goals, had four assists, totaled 24 points and collected three game-winners.
 
Reaves, who hails from Duluth, Ga., was an anchor on the backline last year en route to All-WCC First Team accolades. He helped the Pilots register a league-best seven shutouts on the year.
 
Last fall the Pilots won their first league title since 2002 and returned to the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2009. Second-year head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt was named the WCC's Co-Coach of the year in 2016, and he led the team to an unprecedented turn-around from the previous season.
 
Pacific was picked to win the WCC by the league's coaches, earning the program's first preseason top spot in its four-year history. The Tigers earned 46 points out of possible-best of 49 points after going 13-4-2 overall last season en route to their first postseason berth.
 
Portland picked up 42 points to claim the second spot in the poll, and the Pilots led the league with three players picked on preseason all-conference team.
 
Loyola Marymount was surveyed to finish third with 32 points while, San Diego claims fourth with 29 points in what will be the final season with Seamus McFadden at the helm of the program. Saint Mary's earned the final first-place vote for the third consecutive season, finishing fifth in the preseason poll with an identical 27 points that the Gaels also earned in last season's preseason poll. Meanwhile, San Francisco (21 points), Santa Clara (15 points) and Gonzaga (12 points) round out the balloting.
 
The Pilots have one more exhibition game at home on Saturday night against Washington before opening the regular season vs. UNLV on Aug. 25 at Merlo Field.
 
2017 WEST COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
Team (First Place Vote), Points
1. Pacific (5), 46
2. Portland (2), 42
3. Loyola Marymount, 32
4. San Diego, 29
5. Saint Mary's (1), 27
6. San Francisco, 21
7. Santa Clara, 15
8. Gonzaga, 12
 
2017 ALL-WCC PRESEASON MEN'S SOCCER TEAM
Name, Institution, Yr., Pos.
Valdemar Andersen, Santa Clara, Sr., D
Tristan Blackmon, Pacific, Sr., D/F
Ben Braman, Saint Mary's, R-Sr., D
Paul Christensen, Portland, Sr., GK
Jalen Crisler, Gonzaga, R-Sr., D
Connor Johnson, Loyola Marymount, R-Sr., F
Aaron Lombardi, San Francisco, Sr., M
Benji Michel, Portland, So., F
Kris Reaves, Portland, Sr., D
Leon Schwarzer, San Francisco, Sr., M
Wouter Verstraaten, Pacific, Jr., D