SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Portland Pilots Men's Soccer was picked to finish first in the 2026 West Coast Conference Coaches Preseason Poll, with four Pilots being selected to the All-WCC Preseason Team. It's the second time in four years they've been picked to win the conference, having last been selected first in 2023.
 
David Ajagbe, Efe Aror, Joe Highfield and Diego Rosas were selected, meaning Portland matched a program record in 2023 with four players selected to the WCC preseason team.
 
Ajagbe is going into his second year on The Bluff following a 2025 season where he earned All-WCC First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Second Team honors. Ajagbe finished second on the Pilots in goals with 10 and tacked on four assists. Those totals helped Ajagbe finish third in the WCC in both goals and points while finishing 28^th and 37^th nationally in those categories.
 
Aror returns to Portland after playing in 19 matches with 18 starts last season. Aror was an All-WCC Second Team member this past season and scored one goal and one assist for the Pilots, with a goal against the Denver Pioneers and an assist on the game-winning goal against Wisconsin.
 
Highfield tallied massive numbers for Portland in 2025, scoring 11 goals and notching five assists, leading the Pilots in goals and points. His goal and points total ranked 19^th and 18^th in the nation respectively, with his four game-winning goals ranking 16^th nationally. He earned First Team honors for the WCC and West Region while also earning All-American Third Team.
 
Diego Rosas enters his senior year coming off a huge season for Portland in 2025. Rosas was an All-WCC First Team member, All-West Region First Team and won WCC Midfielder of the Year. Rosas tallied the most assists (15) and assists per game in the country (0.75), breaking the program record for assists in a season. TopDrawerSoccer named Rosas to their Best XI second team as well.
 
Portland sits atop of the poll with 62 points and six first place votes. San Diego had three members on the preseason team and finished second in the poll with 55 points and two first place votes.
 
The newest member of the conference, Denver Pioneers received 53 points and one first place vote while having two members of the preseason team. Denver and Portland faced off in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last winter with Portland coming out on top in penalty kicks. The two will have their first match as conference opponents on Oct. 17.
 
San Francisco had two players on the preseason poll and finished fourth with 41 points. The rest of the list includes Seattle (35 points), LMU (30), Santa Clara (23), Saint Mary's (13) and Pacific (12).
 
The Pilots will play two more exhibition matches against Seattle on Aug. 11 and Oregon State on Aug. 14. The season opener comes at home against Cal on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets, live stats and video options.
 
2026 West Coast Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
?1. Portland - 62 points (6)
?2. San Diego - 55 points (2)
?3. Denver - 53 points (1)
?4. San Francisco - 41 points
5. Seattle U - 35 points
?6. LMU - 30 points
7. Santa Clara – 23 points
?8. Saint Mary's - 13 points
?9. Pacific - 12 points
?
2026 West Coast Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Team
Lucca Adams, San Diego
David Ajagbe, Portland
Efetobo Aror, Portland
Brayden Beason, San Francisco
Joe Highfield, Portland
Noah James, San Diego
Kyle McGowan, Denver
David Raphael, San Francisco
Diego Rosas, Portland
Iain Wagner, San Diego
Bryce Willoughby, Denver

---

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 University of Portland Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift helps our over 300 student-athletes compete at the highest level – on and off the field - in the rapidly changing world of intercollegiate athletics. All gifts to Pilot Athletics are 100% tax deductible.
 
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.