UCLA picked to take Pac-10 men's title

• by Soccer America , Aug 16, 2007

UCLA, the 2006 NCAA Division I men's runner-up, is picked to win the Pac-10, marking the sixth straight year the Bruins are the preseason pick to win the conference title.

The Bruins return 22 players and eight starters from last season's squad that finished the year at 14-6-4. Back are Soccer America's Freshman of the Year David Estrada (12 goals), No. 2-leading goal scorer Jason Leopoldo (8 goals), Soccer America All-Freshman selection Kyle Nakazawa (4 goals), and All-Far West defender Mike Zaher, plus five players who started with various U.S. youth national teams over the summer (Tony Beltran and Brian Perk at the Under-20 World Cup and Greg Folk, Chance Myers and Michael Stephens at the Pan-American Games). Back after being injured in 2006 is former U-17 captain Brandon Owens

The Bruins received 23 points, including three first-place votes, followed by California and Washington at 20 points. Stanford garnered 13 points to claim fourth place, while San Diego State earned nine points for fifth. Oregon State rounded out the poll, receiving five points.