Portland, the defending NCAA Division I women's champion, is favored to win the 2006 West Coast Conference regular-season title. The Pilots, who return eight starters from last year's championship squad, received five first-place votes in voting by conference coaches. Santa Clara, which welcomes back 10 starters from last season's team that advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals, was selected to finish second and received three first-place vote. The Pilots and Broncos have either won or had a share of every WCC title since the league began sponsoring women's soccer in 1992.
WCC Women's Preseason Poll
1. Portland, 2. Santa Clara, 3. Gonzaga, 4. Pepperdine, 5. San Diego, 6. Loyola Marymount, 7. Saint Mary's, 8. San Francisco.