UCSB has been picked to finish second in Big West Conference women’s soccer in a vote of the league’s coaches.
Senior forward Shaelan Murison, meanwhile, was selected to the Preseason All-Big West team.
The Gauchos, who finished second in last year’s Big West race with a 5-2-1 record (13-7-1 overall) received one first-place vote and 69 total points. Long Beach State, last year’s regular season as well as tournament champion, got five first-place votes and 76 total points.
UC Irvine was picked third with two first-place votes and 65 total points. Cal State Fullerton took fourth with 42 points. Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside each got 35 points for fifth-place, Hawai’i was seventh with 31 points, UC Davis was eighth with 28, and Cal Poly received one first-place vote and 24 total points for ninth place.
Murison was a First Team All-Big West selection and Second Team All-West Region choice after a breakout junior season in which she recorded team-high totals of 10 goals and four assists for 24 points. She also led the team with five game-winning goals.
“Shae has really grown as a player in her four years,” coach Paul Stumpf said. “She is very deserving of being on the all-league team and I’m happy for her.”
The Gaucho women will play host to Westmont College in an exhibition match on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in Harder Stadium, with UCSB’s men taking on the Warriors at 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
GAUCHOS PICKED FOR THIRD
UCSB was tabbed to finish third in the Big West Conference coaches in a preseason survey of the league’s coaches.
Two-time conference champion Cal Poly was selected to three-peat with five first-place votes and 77 points. Hawai’i got four first-place votes and was picked to finish second with 76 points.
UCSB followed with 59 points, while UC Irvine (52) and Long Beach State (46) ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Rounding out the poll was UC Davis with 39 points, CSUN with 27, UC Riverside with 18 and Cal State Fullerton with 11.
The Gauchos return five starters and 12 letter winners from last year’s 17-12 team, which finished fourth in the Big West race. They include three-time AVCA All-American Lindsey Ruddins.
UCSB, which has also added a top-35 recruiting class to the mix, will play an exhibition match next Friday at 2 p.m. at the Thunderdome against Cal State Bakersfield. It will open the regular seaosn on Aug. 30 against LIU Brooklyn at the Buffs Invitational in Boulder, Colo.
GIRLS GOLF
GOSS, MINIER PLACE HIGH
Santa Barbara High junior Lizzie Goss and Dos Pueblos High graduate Gabby Minier both placed in the top five in the Ventura County Junior Golf Association’s TaylorMade Tour Championships at Ojai’s Soule Park.
Goss made six birdies over 36 holes while shooting back-to-back rounds of 77 to take fourth with a 154.
Minier, who will be playing at Colorado State this year, finished one stroke back in fifth with a 76-79 — 155.
MULTI-EVENTS
MCCONNELL’S EVENT ON SUNDAY
Santa Barbara’s Club West Track and Field Club will hold its 39th Annual McConnell’s Events which include a 5K, a 10K, a Kid’s Mile and a one-mile ocean swim on Sunday at Goleta Beach. More information is available by writing ruppww@aol.com.
Club West will also hold its 42nd Annual Master’s and Open Track and Field Meet at Westmont College on Oct. 6. For information on that meet, write wforrestvz2outlook,com.
