This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Provo • When it comes to basketball in the West Coast Conference, everybody always seems to be looking up at Gonzaga.

That will happen again this season, if coaches of the nine other teams in the league know what they are talking about.

In the men's race, BYU is picked to finish third behind Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, according to the WCC preseason poll released on Monday. BYU's women are picked to finish second behind the Zags, despite winning the conference for the first time last year.

Voting in the men's poll was not a surprise, considering that Gonzaga is No. 13 and Saint Mary's No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25, which was also released Monday.

BYU received 65 points in the WCC voting after going 26-11 and making it to the NIT semifinals last year. Gonzaga garnered seven first-place votes and 79 points, while SMC got three first-place votes and 75 points.

Two BYU players — recently returned missionary Eric Mika and sophomore guard Nick Emery — made the All-WCC Preseason Team. Emery was an All-WCC Second-Team pick last year after averaging 16.3 points and 2.5 assists per game in 2015-16. Mika averaged 11.6 points and shot 52.7 percent from the field as a freshman before a two-year church mission to Italy.

Gonzaga placed center Przemek Karnowski and guard Josh Perkins on the All-WCC Preseason Team, while three players from Saint Mary's received the honor: guard Emmett Naar, guard Joe Rahon and forward Dane Pineau.

Four new head coaches will roam the sidelines this season: Damon Stoudamire takes over at Pacific, Terry Porter is the new coach at Portland, Kyle Smith replaces Rex Walters at San Francisco and Herb Sendek takes over at Santa Clara.

Also Monday, BYU coach Dave Rose announced that Houston transfer L.J. Rose, senior Kyle Davis and Emery have been selected by their teammates as captains for the 2016-17 season.

WCC women's preseason honors

BYU coach Jeff Judkins' team received four first-place votes and 75 points in the women's poll, just one point and one first-place vote behind Gonzaga. Saint Mary's got the 10th first-place vote and is picked third.

BYU seniors Kalani Purcell and Makenzi Pulsipher made the All-WCC Preseason Team, the first such honor for each player.

Purcell averaged 12.0 points, 12.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game last year, while Pulsipher was the Cougars' second-leading scorer with a 12.7 average. —

WCC preseason men's poll

Team Points

1. Gonzaga 79

2. Saint Mary's 75

3. BYU 65

4.Pepperdine 63

5. Santa Clara 49

6. Loyola Marymount 34

7. Pacific 29

8. Portland 28

9. San Francisco 27

10. San Diego 11 WCC preseason women's poll

Team Points

1. Gonzaga 76

2. BYU 75

3. Saint Mary's 66

4. San Diego 58

5. Santa Clara 44

6. Loyola Marymount 36

7. San Francisco 35

8. Pacific 34

T9. Pepperdine 13

T9. Portland 13