SAN MATEO, Calif. – For the first time since 2003, the Portland Pilots have been picked to finish first in the West Coast Conference in the annual WCC Preseason Coaches Poll. Portland also had two players named to WCC Preseason Team in Jake Arteaga and George Tasouris.

The Pilots earned their pole position narrowly, earning three first-place votes and 43 total points to take the top spot. They were followed closely by Santa Clara, who also had three first-place votes but just 42 points. Pacific and Loyola Marymount also each earned one first-place vote, with 38 points and 34 points respectively. Saint Mary's (28 points), San Francisco (14 points), San Diego (13 points) and Gonzaga (12 points) round out the bottom four.

Arteaga was the Pilots' lone All-WCC First Team selection last season, doing so after being a key connecting piece in Portland's midfield. He was the first player since Rey Ortiz in 2019 to do so. He started in 17 of a possible 18 games for Portland and was an United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Third Team selection.

Tasouris was also an All-West Region Third Team selection along with making the All-WCC Second Team. He was first in the WCC in minutes played (1,710) and total saves (70), second in save percentage (0.778) and shutouts (six), third in saves per game (3.68) and fourth in goals against average (1.052). He was named to the Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List last preseason and was a Senior CLASS Award nominee.

The Pilots finished tied for third in the WCC last season and made the NCAA Tournament for the third time in five fall seasons (six total seasons) under head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt. They advanced to the second round for the second time under Carlin-Voigt, defeating Seattle U 3-2 in a home playoff bout to advance. They finished 25^th in TopDrawerSoccer's final Top 25 poll of 2021.

Below is the full WCC Preseason Poll and preseason team for the 2022 season.

2022 WCC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (first-place votes) points
Portland (3) 43
Santa Clara (3) 42
Pacific (1) 38
LMU (1) 34
Saint Mary's 28
San Francisco 14
San Diego 13
Gonzaga 12
 
2022 WCC Men's Soccer Preseason Team
Jake Arteaga - UP - Gr. - M
Noel Caliskan - LMU - Sr. - M
Ryan Her - UOP - Gr. - M
Demetrius Kigeya, GON - Sr. - F
Riley Lynch - SMC - So. - F
Yazid Omri - UOP - Sr. - M
Damani Osei - SCU - Jr. - D
Dylan Shockey - LMU - Sr. - D
Louis Sterobo - SMC - Jr. - D
George Tasouris - UP - Gr. - GK
Oladayo Thomas - SCU - Sr. - F