SAN MATEO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference announced on Tuesday the WCC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll as well as the All-WCC Baseball Preseason Team, with the Portland Pilots picked to finish fourth and having outfielder Jake Holcroft as well as pitchers Peter Allegro and Brock Gillis make the team.

Holcroft was the top batter for the Pilots last season, batting .343 with four home runs, 26 RBI's and an .893 combined on-base and slugging percentage. He was an All-WCC First Team pick last season after finishing third in the conference in batting average, fifth in total hits (71), tied for eighth in doubles (15) and ninth in on-base percentage (.420).

Allegro is the Pilots' preseason All-American pick, having made the first team for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and the second team for Collegiate Baseball News. He was an All-WCC Second Team selection last year after posting a 4-2 record with a 2.76 ERA in 24 appearances, primarily as a reliever. He recorded a WCC-leading 13 saves, which was also good for ninth in the nation. Along with Brett Gillis, he was the first ABCA/Rawlings All-Region selection since 1992, making the second team.

Brock Gillis earned All-WCC Honorable Mention after a stellar first season with the Pilots. The Washington transfer posted a 4-4 record with a 4.61 ERA in 18 appearances (13 starts). In WCC play, Gillis was 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA. He is the only returning pitcher for the Pilots who started more than 10 games last season.

The Pilots' fourth-place selection is the highest of the Geoff Loomis era, with the team earning 58 points. The Gonzaga Bulldogs were picked to repeat as WCC regular season champions with 78 points and six first-place votes while the San Diego Toreros earned 73 points and four first-place votes. BYU was picked to finish ahead of the Pilots at 62 points while LMU was picked fifth at 48 points. Pepperdine, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's, San Francisco and Pacific round up the bottom five with 38, 35, 27, 20 and 11 points respectively.

Portland finished last season second in the WCC and third in the WCC Tournament. They posted a 32-23 overall record and a 17-10 WCC record, their best conference record ever. Their appearance in the WCC Tournament was their first as a program.

The Pilots open the regular season this weekend with a four-game series against the Utah Tech Trailblazers. The two teams open the series on Friday, Feb. 17 at 5 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.

2023 WCC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Gonzaga - 78 points (6)
2. San Diego - 73 points (4)
3. BYU - 62
4. Portland - 58
5. LMU - 48
6. Pepperdine - 38
7. Santa Clara - 35
8. Saint Mary's - 27
9. San Francisco - 20
10. Pacific - 11

?2023 WCC Baseball Preseason Team (Position Players)
Diego Baqueiro, LMU
Jack Costello, San Diego
Cole Gambill, BYU
Jake Holcroft, Portland
Cade McGee, Gonzaga
John Peck, Pepperdine
Savier Pinales, Gonzaga
Ozzie Pratt, BYU
Kevin Sim - San Diego
Grayson Sterling, Gonzaga

2023 WCC Baseball Preseason Team (Pitchers)
Peter Allegro, Portland
Diego Barrera, LMU
Brock Gillis, Portland
Jack Sterner, BYU
Owen Wild, Gonzaga Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App.  For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

Donate Today
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Pilot Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly helps our nearly 300 student-athletes as they strive to make a difference in our community and achieve academic and athletic excellence. Thank you for support of Pilot Athletics!

Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.