SAN MATEO, Calif. — Gonzaga's
Jordan Thompson was named Preseason All-West Coast Conference, and the Bulldogs were selected fourth in the league's annual poll released Thursday.
The preseason poll and All-WCC team were selected solely by a vote of the conference's 10 head coaches. Coaches cannot vote for their own teams and student-athletes.
Thompson has started in all 61 of her collegiate appearances and has been a team captain for four years. She's been a staple on the GU defense the past four seasons. The senior has played over 5,400 minutes for the Zags.
The Bulldogs were selected fourth in the conference's preseason poll as voted by the league's head coaches. It matches the best ranking for GU in the WCC preseason poll since 2006, when the Bulldogs were tabbed third, which was the highest position in the poll in program history. Last season, Gonzaga was fourth in the preseason poll, before placing third.
Gonzaga placed third for the first time since the league expanded to 10 teams. GU finished 7-3-1 overall and 5-2-1 in conference play. The Zags' coaching staff of
Chris Watkins, Assistant Coaches
Lexi Brown and
Katie Benz, and Volunteer Assistant
Tyler Brown, were named the West Region Staff of the Year. Watkins was named a 2020-21 West Coast Conference co-Coach of the Year, becoming only the second GU Head Coach to earn WCC Coach of the Year honors, and the first since 2003. The Bulldogs finished the season receiving a vote in the national rankings.
Defending NCAA Champion Santa Clara was chosen to repeat and win the program's 12th West Coast Conference Championship in the annual WCC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Broncos enter the 2021 Fall season ranked No. 2 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll and earned 80 points in the coaches balloting.
BYU, the only team to secure a victory against the Broncos during the Spring season, were picked second in the poll with 74 points and enter the year ranked No. 15 in the top-25. Pepperdine was picked third with 65 points after spending the bulk of last season in the top-25.
Fifth through seventh was separated by a total of 11 points. Portland was picked fifth (49 points), Saint Mary's was sixth (39 points) and San Francisco was seventh (38 points).
2021 WCC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll (FALL)
| Place |
Team |
First Place |
Points |
| 1. |
No. 2 Santa Clara |
8 |
80 |
| 2. |
No. 15 BYU |
2 |
74 |
| 3. |
RV Pepperdine |
|
65 |
| 4. |
Gonzaga |
|
54 |
| 5. |
Portland |
|
49 |
| 6. |
Saint Mary's |
|
39 |
| 7. |
San Francisco |
|
38 |
| 8. |
LMU |
|
19 |
| 9. |
San Diego |
|
17 |
| 10. |
Pacific |
|
15 |
| 2021 All-WCC Women's Soccer Preseason Team |
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
| Joelle Anderson |
Pepperdine |
Sr.* |
M |
| Mikayla Colohan |
BYU |
Sr.* |
M |
| Izzy D'Aquila |
Santa Clara |
Jr. |
M |
| Alex Loera |
Santa Clara |
Sr.* |
D/M |
| Sally Menti |
Santa Clara |
So. |
F |
| Taylor Poland |
Saint Mary's |
So. |
GK |
| Taryn Ries |
Portland |
Sr.* |
F |
| Jordan Thompson |
Gonzaga |
Sr.* |
D |
| Cameron Tucker |
BYU |
Sr.* |
F |
| Kelsey Turnbow |
Santa Clara |
Sr.* |
F |
| Trinity Watson |
Pepperdine |
Sr. |
D |
