BIG WEST MEN’S SOCCER
@BigWestMSOC
Big West Conference - 2 Corporate Park, Suite 206, Irvine, CA 92606
Men’s Soccer Contact: Mike Villamor (Assistant Commissioner/Communications)
Phone: (949) 261-2525 • Fax: (949) 261-2528 • email: [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Immediate Release - Wednesday, August 17, 2016
March 10, 2003
UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton Picked To Win Men’s Soccer Divisions
IRVINE, CA – UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton have been tabbed as the favorites to win their respective divisions, as voted
on by the eight head men’s soccer coaches in their annual preseason poll Wednesday.
In addition, the coaches selected an 11-player preseason all-conference team.
This is the fourth straight year that the coaches picked UC Santa Barbara to win the North Division. The Gauchos were a unanimous
selection with eight first-place votes and 32 points. Cal Poly, which joined UCSB with a conference-high tying three players on the preseason
all-conference team, earned 19 points for second place. UC Davis was third with 18 points and Sacramento State fourth with 11.
For the first time since the Big West implemented division play in 2013, Cal State Fullerton is the favorite to capture the South Division
crown. The Titans notched seven first-place votes and 31 points for the top spot. UC Irvine and CSUN tied for second with 20 points
each, with the Anteaters claiming the other first place nod. UC Riverside rounded out the voting with nine points.
UCSB earned its third straight division title – and ninth Big West championship overall – finishing 14-7-2 overall and 7-2-1 in league
action in 2015. The Gauchos reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in school history. Back from that
squad is two-time Big West Offensive Player of the Year and NSCAA First Team All-American Nick DePuy. The Irvine, Calif. native was
one of the nation’s most potent scorers with 15 goals in 2015, including an NCAA-best eight game-winning goals. The Gauchos bring back
a strong core of returners to surround DePuy, including all-conference selections Ahinga Selemani, Kevin Feucht and Josue España.
UCSB is ranked No. 13 nationally in the NSCAA preseason poll.
Cal Poly returned to the NCAA Tournament last season, its first postseason trip since 2008, under the direction of first-year head
coach Steve Sampson. Five starters and 15 letterwinners return from that 11-win club which matched a program record.
The two-time defending Big West Tournament champions, Cal State Fullerton also broke through with its first North Division title in
2015. The Titans are two-for-two in the postseason conference tournament under mentor George Kuntz, who also has guided the Titans
to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. CSF returns leading scorer Diego Sanchez, who netted eight goals, as well as All-Big
West Second Team performer Ricardo Covarrubias.
The preseason all-conference team features three Gauchos in DePuy, Feucht and Selemani, and a trio of Mustang seniors in forward
Justin Dhillon, midfielder Ruben Duran and defender Kody Wakasa. UCI put teammates Michael Sperber and Thomas Janjigian on
the team. Rounding out the list are Cal State Fullerton sophomore midfielder Ronaldo Pineda, Sacramento State sophomore forward
Brad Bumgarner and UC Riverside senior defender Stephen Copley.
- 30 -
2016 Preseason Coaches Poll
NORTH DIVISION
No.School
1.
UC Santa Barbara (8)
2.
Cal Poly
3.
UC Davis
4.
Sacramento State
SOUTH DIVISION
No.School
1.
Cal State Fullerton (7)
2.
UC Irvine (1)
CSUN
4.
UC Riverside
( ) First-place votes
Pts.
32
19
18
11
Pts.
31
20
20
9
2016 Preseason All-Conference Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Brad Bumgarner
Sacramento State
F
Sophomore
Stephen Copley
UC Riverside
D
Senior
Nick DePuy
UC Santa Barbara
F
Senior
Justin Dhillon
Cal Poly
F
Senior
Ruben Duran
Cal Poly
MF
Senior
Kevin Feucht
UC Santa Barbara
MF
Junior
Thomas Janjigian
UC Irvine
D
Senior
Ronaldo Pineda
Cal State Fullerton
MF
Sophomore
Ahinga Selemani
UC Santa Barbara
F
Junior
Michael Sperber
UC Irvine
MF
Senior
Kody Wakasa
Cal Poly
D
Senior