SAN BRUNO, Calif. – West Coast Conference men's tennis coaches picked reigning regular season champion Portland to finish third in the 2018 WCC Preseason Poll, the league announced on Wednesday. The Pilots garnered three first-place votes, but trailed league favorite San Diego and Pepperdine in the preseason poll.

Portland senior Michail Pervolarakis, the 2017 WCC Player of the year, earned All-WCC Preseason Team recognition. Pervolarakis enters the spring season ranked No. 18 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Singles Rankings.

Three WCC teams received multiple first-place votes, but it was the Toreros who amassed 74 overall points to go with four first-place nods to claim the honor as the preseason favorites. Pepperdine picked up three first-place votes and collected a total of 72 points to take second in the preseason poll.  The Pilots come in third with 70 points total.

Portland returns an experienced team of seven seniors, one junior, a sophomore and two freshmen. The Pilots brought back the top five lineup players from last year's record-breaking team that finished 18-3 overall.

The Pilots open the spring dual season against Georgia State in Eugene on Saturday, before heading to the ITA Kick-off Weekend at Wake Forest on Jan. 26-27.
 
The 2018 WCC Men's Tennis Championship will take place at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, Calif., April 26-28.
 
2018 WEST COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL

Team (First Place Votes)	Points
1. San Diego (4)	74
2. Pepperdine (3)	72
3. Portland (3)	70
4. BYU	48
5. Loyola Marymount	46
6. San Francisco	41
7. Santa Clara	37
8. Pacific	36
9. Gonzaga	15
10. Saint Mary's	11

 
2018 ALL-WCC PRESEASON MEN'S TENNIS TEAM
Gabriel Diaz Freire, Loyola Marymount, Soph.
Johan Joenhagen, San Francisco, Sr.
Pedro Iamachkine, Pepperdine, Sr.
Damon Kesaris, Saint Mary's, Soph.
Gui Osorio, San Diego, Soph.
Michail Pervolarakis, Portland, Sr.