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Men's Soccer Picked Tied For Third By WCC Coaches
Aug. 3, 2009
SAN BRUNO, Cali. - Gonzaga University's men's soccer team was picked tied for third in the West Coast Conference pre-season poll as voted by the conference coaches. Bulldog forward Tye Perdido and defender Nick Barclay were also named to the pre-season All-WCC team. The Bulldogs finished tied for second with the University of San Diego last season, both squads finishing 6-5-1 in WCC play for 19 points, three points shy of conference champion University of San Francisco. Had the Bulldogs won their final regular-season match they would have tied the Dons for the title. Gonzaga finished 9-8-2 overall in 2008, its third straight nine-win season. USF garnered the maximum six first-place votes for 36 points as the WCC coaches tabbed the Dons to repeat their title. The Dons are followed by Bay Area rival Santa Clara University with 24 points, which narrowly edged out Loyola Marymount University and the Bulldogs which each received 23 points. LMU earned the other first-place votes as coaches are not allowed to vote for their team. Rounding out this year's pre-season poll is USD in fifth place with 19 points, the University of Portland in sixth with 16 points and Saint Mary's College seventh with 6 points. Pepperdine University does not sponsor men's soccer. Perdido and Barclay were the offensive and defensive leaders, respectively, for the Bulldogs in 2008. Perdido paced the team in scoring with 8 goals and 3 assists for 19 points while earning All-WCC first team and All-Far West Region third team accolades. Barclay was tabbed the WCC Defender of the Year, the first such honor bestowed a Bulldog. In their nine victories a year ago only once did the Bulldogs allow more than one goal. Perdido and Barclay are two of eight returning starters and 18 returning letterwinners who will report to camp this month. Gonzaga opens the 2009 season Sept. 1 when Trinity Western University of Langley, British Columbia, visits Gonzaga Soccer Field. Gonzaga opens WCC play Oct. 2-4 with matches at Saint Mary's and SCU, with the WCC home openers Oct. 9-11 when LMU and USD visit.
USF welcomes back eight starters from the 2008 squad, headlined by WCC Player of the Year Conor Chinn, who ranked No. 8 among national Division I leaders in goals per game (0.81) last season. Chinn, who was also selected to the preseason all-conference team, led the WCC with 17 goals, eight of which were game-winners. Chinn is joined on the preseason all-conference team by teammate Bryan Burke, who earned All-WCC second team honors last season. USF Head Coach Erik Visser was named the 2008 WCC Coach of the Year, marking the third time in the last five seasons that he has earned the conference's top coaching award. The Broncos, who return seven starters and 18 letterwinners overall, look to rebound from a disappointing 2008 season. Headlining the list of returners is junior midfielder Jalil Anibaba, who was selected to the preseason all-conference team. LMU also landed two players on the pre-season all-conference team. The Lions welcome back first team All-WCC performer Rafael Baca and second team All-WCC selection Roger Downes. San Diego, selected fifth, also welcomes back a pair of All-WCC first team members in defender Ryan Peterman, who was named to the preseason all-conference team, and goalkeeper Kelin Briones, while Portland will look to 2008 All-WCC first team midfielder Collen Warner and goalie Austin Guerrero, an honorable mention selection, to provide scoring and defense. Rounding out this year's poll is Saint Mary's, which will look to senior All-WCC first team member Yousef Samy for leadership. 2009 WCC Pre-season Coaches Poll (First Place Vote n Parenthesis) 1. San Francisco (6) 36 2. Santa Clara 24 3. Loyola Marymount (1) 23 Gonzaga 23 5. San Diego 19 6. Portland 16 7. Saint Mary's 6 |
