SAN BRUNO, Calif. --- Portland seniors Lauren Jesse and Veronica Nicacio were both named to the Preseason All-West Coast Conference Rowing Team and the Pilots were selected to finish fourth in the league, it was announced on Wednesday. Defending WCC champion Gonzaga was chosen by the league's seven head coaches to claim its fifth straight conference title. 

Nicacio earned All-WCC at the league championships last spring, and both her and Jesse rowed for Portland's varsity eight in 2018. Portland finished fourth as a team at the 2018 WCC Championships, with the varsity four earning a bronze medal in that event. 
 
The Bulldogs picked up four of the seven first-place votes and garnered 34 overall points to start off 2019 on top of the conference. Last year's runners-up, Loyola Marymount, placed just behind the Bulldogs with two first-place votes and 31 points for second place.

San Diego snagged the remaining first-place vote and racked up 28 points to begin 2019 in third, and Portland was picked to finish fourth with 21 points, well ahead if fifth-place pick Saint Mary's. The Gaels picked up 14 points to narrowly finish ahead of Creighton on the ballot, who tallied 13 points for sixth. Santa Clara rounded out the poll with six points.
 
WCC ROWING PRESEASON POLL  
Place, Team, Points (First Place Votes)
1. Gonzaga, 34 (4)
2. LMU, 31 (2)
3. San Diego, 28 (1)
4. Portland, 21
5. Saint Mary's, 14
6. Creighton, 13
7. Santa Clara, 6

PRESEASON ALL-WCC ROWING TEAM 
Name, Year, School
Clare Adams, Jr., San Diego
Maggie Barran, Sr., Creighton
Anna Barry, So., LMU
Leila Chihab, Jr., Santa Clara
Lauren Compeau, So., LMU
Ana Delucchi, Sr., Gonzaga
Lauren English, Sr., Gonzaga
Lindey English, Sr., Gonzaga
Lauren Jesse, Sr., Portland
Ellie Martin, Jr., LMU
Lauren McCallum, So., Gonzaga
Mollie Mertes , So., Santa Clara
Veronica Nicacio, Sr., Portland
Kelsey Shinn, Jr., Saint Mary's
Emily Sprigings, So., Saint Mary's
Kadee Sylla, Jr., San Diego
McKinley Wilson, Sr., Creighton