LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Pacific West Conference is beginning to turn its eyes to the 2025-26 basketball season, and the coaches across the conference have submitted their votes for their preseason favorites.  After the count was done, Vanguard's women's team has been tabbed as the clear favorite with nine first-place votes and 164 points.  The men were selected to finish ninth and netted 61 points in the voting process.  
 
The women cleared Point Loma by 17 points and seven first-place votes, with Westmont in third with 145 points and one first-place nod.  Dominican got the last first-place tally and had126 points in fourth.  You can find the rest of the poll here.     
 
VU hurdles to the top after being picked to finish seventh last season but exceeding that by being in the mix for first all season and ultimately placing second.  It is not an uncommon sight, though, as the Blue and Gold topped the final Golden State Athletic Conference preseason ranking in the 2023-24 campaign.  In addition, the Lions were ranked 10th in the NAIA preseason poll, the fourth time in five years of being 10th in the preseason national poll.  PLNU swept the titles last year and lost to Central Washington in the NCAA DII Regional Bracket.  VU, now eligible for both the PacWest and NCAA Tournaments, is ready to get back into bracket play, which has been a staple under Head Coach Russ Davis, who has presided over 25 trips to the NAIA National Championship Tournament since arriving prior to the 1996-97 season.  He enters the year just five wins shy of 700 at VU and is above 500 wins over a .500 winning percentage.
 
The men were picked above Jessup in 10th (42 points), and behind Westmont (86 points) in ninth, who lost the PacWest Player of the Year.  PLNU had 12 of the 13 first-place votes to remain steady atop the leaderboard after winning both titles in 2024-25.  Hawaii Hilo and Fresno Pacific tied for second with 128 points, though FPU registered the other first-place vote.  The rest of the poll can be found here.
 
VU ended in 12th last time out in the PacWest, above Jessup and Dominican.  The Lions were picked to place 13th in their inaugural PacWest season, and the team wants to surpass their preseason placing and then some in year two.  Head Coach Rhett Soliday picked up five transfers to complement the returning group on the roster and could reach 250 wins at Vanguard if the Lions can get 16 wins during the season.