July 29, 2005
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The Santa Clara men's soccer team has been picked as the favorite to capture the 2005 West Coast Conference title, as voted on by the conference coaches. The Broncos received three first-place votes, while Loyola Marymount and San Francisco, the schools picked to finish second and third, respectively, each received two first-place votes.
Rounding out the rest of the WCC were: San Diego, picked fourth with 19 points, Portland in fifth with 17 points, and Saint Mary's and Gonzaga picked sixth and seventh with 13 and six points, respectively.
Coming off a season in which they made their 15th NCAA Tournament appearance after notching a 15-6 overall record and an 8-4 mark in WCC play, the Broncos will look to make their second College Cup appearance in three years in 2005. Under the tutelage of fourth-year head coach Cameron Rast, Santa Clara returns eight starters from a 2004 squad that finished third in the WCC and won 11 of its first 12 matches. All-American midfielder Medhi Ballouchy heads the Bronco returners, which also include All-WCC performers Keith DeVey, Ryan Purtell, and Peter Lowry.
Loyola Marymount, last year's second-place finisher, earned their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004 and will return 16 letterwinners, including three All-WCC second team performers. San Francisco, the defending WCC Champion, returns two impact players in 2004 WCC Player of the Year Aaron Chandler and the goalkeeper Geremy Uhl, who led the WCC with a 0.38 goals-against average in 2004.
San Diego will return All-WCC selections Michael Caso and Ryan Guy to the pitch this season, while Portland boasts the reigning WCC Freshman of the Year, Michael Gavin, and WCC saves leader Luis Robles minding the goal.
Among the 10 returning starters for Saint Mary's is Freshman All-American goalkeeper Brian Mason, while Gonzaga returns three of their top four scorers in 2004, including forward George Josten.
The complete release can be found by clicking here.
WCC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
(First-place votes)
| Rank | School | Points |
| 1. | Santa Clara (3) | 33 |
| 2. | Loyola Marymount (2) | 31 |
| 3. | San Francisco (2) | 28 |
| 4. | San Diego | 19 |
| 5. | Portland | 17 |
| 6. | Saint Mary's | 13 |
| 7. | Gonzaga | 6 |