SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Three Toreros were named to the 2026 WCC Preseason Team and San Diego was picked to finish second in the 2026 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, the West Coast Conference announced Monday as part of its annual men's soccer preseason honors.
Goalkeeper
Lucca Adams, midfielder
Noah James and forward
Iain Wagner comprised USD's preseason team honorees.
Portland was tabbed as the league's preseason favorite, receiving six of the nine first-place votes and totaling 62 points. San Diego received two first-place votes and finished with 55 points, three ahead of third-place Denver, which received the final first-place vote and totaled 53 points. The projection comes after USD won its fourth consecutive WCC title in 2025, the first four-peat in conference history.
Adams, a redshirt freshman in 2025, earned WCC Preseason Team recognition after a debut season that saw him named WCC Goalkeeper of the Year and a First Team All-WCC selection. He started 14 games in goal, posting a 13-98 save mark for a .692 save percentage while allowing just eight goals. His eight shutouts tied for the fourth-best single-season total in program history, and his 0.58 goals-against average set a new program record. Adams was also a two-time WCC Defensive Player of the Week and was named to the All-WCC Freshman Team.
James, a senior, earned All-WCC Second Team honors and a WCC Offensive Player of the Week nod (September 8) in 2025, when he was one of four Toreros to start all 19 matches and logged 1,653 minutes, the second-highest total on the roster. He scored two goals and added four assists for eight points, with both goals coming in a dramatic comeback win over Cal Baptist on September 4, tying the game in the 86th minute before scoring the winner seconds before the final horn. He also assisted on USD's goal in the 4-2 win at Oregon State that secured the Toreros' fourth straight WCC championship.
Wagner earned 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team, All-WCC First Team and WCC All-Academic Team honors after leading the Toreros with nine goals and 22 points. He scored in each of USD's final four matches of the regular season, including the lone goal in back-to-back 1-0 wins over Pacific and Gonzaga, and had a goal and an assist in the 4-2 win at Oregon State that clinched San Diego's fourth consecutive WCC title. He also scored the Toreros' only goal in their NCAA Tournament second-round game against Grand Canyon.
San Diego opens the 2026 season on the road at Washington on Thursday, Aug. 20, before returning to Torero Stadium for its home opener against Liberty on Sunday, Aug. 23.
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| 2026 ALL-WCCÂ MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON TEAM |
| Name |
Institution |
| Lucca Adams    |
San Diego |
| David Ajagbe |
Portland |
| Efetobo Aror |
Portland |
| Brayden Beason |
San Francisco |
| Joe Highfield |
Portland |
| Noah James |
San Diego |
| Kyle McGowan |
Denver |
| David Raphael |
San Francisco |
| Diego Rosas |
Portland |
| Iain Wagner |
San Diego |
| Bryce Willoughby |
Denver |
2026 WEST COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Place  |
Team |
First Place  |
Points |
| 1. |
Portland |
6 |
62 |
| 2. |
San Diego |
2 |
55 |
| 3. |
Denver |
1 |
53 |
| 4. |
San Francisco |
|
41 |
| 5. |
Seattle U |
|
35 |
| 6. |
LMU |
|
30 |
| 7. |
Santa Clara |
|
23 |
| 8. |
Saint Mary's |
|
13 |
| 9. |
Pacific |
|
12 |
