In 2022, the PacWest could boast of three of the six NCAA west region representatives in the postseason, a new all-time best. In fact, the PacWest had never had more than one team qualify for the NCAA playoffs in a single season until last Fall.
Those three teams—Concordia, UH-Hilo and Point Loma, are the coaches picks’ to lead the pack again in the 2023 season. That’s not surprising, and maybe how close the vote was shouldn’t be a shock either.
The Golden Eagles, who finished third in the 2022 PacWest standings but reached the NCAA West Region title match, was the narrow pick of the coaches to win the 2023 crown. Concordia had 109 poll points and four first place votes. 2022 conference title winner UH-Hilo was next with 107 poll points and four first place votes. 2021 co-title winner Point Loma followed with 103 points and three first place votes.
There has never been a closer preseason poll in the 15-year history of the vote.
Concordia earns the slight nod by virtue of its strong finish last year. The Golden Eagles were third in the PacWest (7-2-1), but then knocked off CS Los Angeles (1-0) in the postseason, topped previously unbeaten UH-Hilo (2-1) in overtime on the Big Island before losing to eventual national champion Western Washington in the west region title match, 1-0.
CUI lost four-time All-PacWest pick Jadenn Carrillo, but return four all-conference selections to build around in 2023. Earning Preseason All-PacWest honors are defenders Gabby Breton and Brianna Guerra, along with midfielders Layla Comeaux and Riley Walkington.
UH-Hilo (8-0-2 PacWest) also suffered graduation losses including five-time All-PacWest pick Jodi Lillie and Newcomer of the Year Grace VerHage, but the Vulcans still have plenty in the tank. Forward Teani Arakawa, who scored four goals in an exhibition match last week, is the coaches vote for PacWest Preseason Player of the Year. The junior forward scored eight goals a year ago, fourth best in the conference.
The Vulcans also return Preseason picks Alia Bournay (defender), Nanea Wall (forward), and midfielders Filippa Graneld and Alyssa Padron. Additionally, goalkeeper Phoebe Barnes, who started the last three seasons at Sonoma State, was voted as the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year before playing a match for the Vulcans. Hilo’s five preseason selections were the most of any team in the conference.
Point Loma has four on the All-PacWest Preseason Team, including Defender of the Year Emma Thrapp. The Sea Lions keep that award in the family after graduated Lauren O’Malley won it the last three times. Point Loma’s strong defense also returns Preseason pick Naomi Ellis and forwards Alana Diaz and Zoe Crockett.
The Sea Lions, who were 7-1-2 in the PacWest and 13-3-4 overall, defeated Sonoma State in the postseason and then fell 1-0 to WWU.
With all the attention on the PacWest’s trio of playoff teams, don’t sleep on Azusa Pacific. The Cougars were a quieter 6-2-2 in league play last year and were 9-4-4 overall. They occupy the fourth spot in the 2023 preseason poll and return all-conference performers Maddie Williams (GK), Bethany Tee (F) and Katie Prado (MF). 2022 GSAC tournament winner and regular season champ Westmont makes it debut in the PacWest in the fifth spot of the preseason poll. The Warriors reached the third round of the NAIA national tournament last year before they lost a match, finishing 16-1-3.
Chaminade is sixth in the poll, led by a trio of fifth-year players in Naomi Takata (GK), Tehani Smith and Lindsay Wilson. Smith and Wilson are both defenders in front of Takata, who had six shutouts in 2022. Biola is on the seventh rung and have Preseason All-PacWest picks Peyton Nelson and Autum Monty to lead them. Nelson led the team in scoring last year as a true freshman, and Monty transfers to Biola after starting two seasons as the goalkeeper at San Jose State.
Biola had 49 poll points, and Fresno Pacific (46) and HPU (44) were close behind in the eighth and ninth spots in the poll. The Sharks (5-8-3) finished 2022 strong with consecutive wins over Biola and Chaminade. The Sunbirds have to replace 2022 PacWest player of the Year Tori De Leon, but have returning all-conference selections in Alena Schenk (D), Bryana Yoshida (F), Nadia Flores (MF) and Ariana Quintero (MF). FPU began the 2022 PacWest season 4-1, which included a win over Concordia. They finished 5-5 in conference play and 8-7-2 overall.
Dominican and Academy of Art come in at tenth and eleventh in the preseason poll.
The 2023 season opens Labor Day Weekend with some killer matches on the slate. Concordia begins with a rematch of their NCAA playoff win over Cal State LA on Thursday, and they will take on defending national champion and No. 1 nationally ranked Western Washington on Monday. Biola will tackle the Vikings first on Thursday. Point Loma will open with Cal State LA on Saturday and UH-Hilo plays UC Colorado Springs on Sunday.