BYU, Portland and Santa Clara favored in tight race

• by Soccer America , Aug 22, 2014

[PREVIEW: SEC Women] Of the major women's conferences, the tightest race could take place in the WCC, where four points separated the top three teams in the preseason coaches' poll. BYU, Portland and Santa Clara split the 2013 conference title at 8-1-0 and all three advanced out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They ranked No. 17, No. 18 and No. 20, respectively, in the Soccer America Preseason Top 25.

BYU was selected first in the WCC poll, one point ahead of Portland and four ahead of Santa Clara. Pepperdine was fourth, followed by San Diego.

Sophomore forward Ashley Hatch and junior defender Paige Hunt were the two Cougars on the All-WCC Preseason team though Hunt is serving a mission in Indiana and will miss the 2014 season.

Portland was represented by Ellie Boon, Danica Evans and Allison Wetherington on the preseason selection, while Mexican international Sofia Huerta and Jordan Jesolva will lead Santa Clara.

San Francisco, Saint Mary’s, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount and Pacific round out the WCC poll.