Nevada Tops Gonzaga in WCC Preseason Baseball Poll

San Diego picked to win conference, Saint Mary's and Portland also ranked highly.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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In the 2026 West Coast Conference preseason baseball coaches poll, the University of Nevada was voted ahead of Gonzaga University for the top spot. San Diego University was picked to win the conference, receiving 5 first-place votes, while Gonzaga received 4 first-place votes and came in second. Saint Mary's University and the University of Portland rounded out the top 4 teams in the preseason poll.

Why it matters

The WCC preseason poll is an important indicator of how the conference is expected to play out, with coaches' votes reflecting their assessments of each team's talent and potential for the upcoming season. These rankings will shape early-season narratives and expectations for the top contenders in the league.

The details

In the full preseason poll, San Diego received 77 total points, Gonzaga had 73 points, and Saint Mary's tallied 67 points. Portland (55 points), Loyola Marymount University (52), Santa Clara University (38), and the University of San Francisco (29) rounded out the top 7 teams. The preseason all-conference teams were also announced, featuring standout players like Ian Armstrong of Saint Mary's, Mikey Bell of Gonzaga, and Jayden Lobliner of San Diego.

  • The 2026 West Coast Conference preseason baseball coaches poll was released on February 10, 2026.

The players

San Diego University

The preseason favorite to win the West Coast Conference, receiving 5 first-place votes.

Gonzaga University

Received 4 first-place votes and was picked to finish second in the WCC preseason poll.

Saint Mary's University

Ranked third in the preseason poll, with 1 first-place vote.

University of Portland

Picked to finish fourth in the WCC preseason rankings.

Loyola Marymount University

Ranked fifth in the preseason WCC baseball poll.

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The takeaway

The preseason WCC baseball poll suggests a highly competitive conference race is on the horizon, with several teams expected to contend for the title. The rankings will set the stage for an exciting 2026 season as these programs vie for conference supremacy.