The Rainbow Warriors were picked to finish fifth in the nine-team Big West Conference preseason media poll announced Thursday morning.
Junior forward Isaac Fotu was tabbed to the league’s six-member preseason all-conference team. Fotu was an All-Big West first-team selection as a sophomore, when he averaged 14.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Defending regular-season champion UC Irvine received 20 of 26 possible first-place votes as the preseason favorite.
Hawaii received no first-place votes.
"With six teams returning four or more starters laden with seniors, and with us returning two starters with only one senior (guard Garrett Nevels), I understand the poll," UH coach Gib Arnold said in a statement. "I do, however, believe the two returning starters we have in Garrett and Isaac are two of the best players in the conference. I believe we have the makings of a very exciting and special team. Our goal is to exceed expectations and bring a Big West championship home to Hawaii where it belongs."
Arnold said Fotu’s recognition is "much deserved" and he believes the 6-foot-8 big man is "not only the best player in the conference but one of the best in the nation."
MEDIA POLL RESULTS
First-place votes in parentheses
1. UC Irvine (20) 221
2. UC Santa Barbara (2) 195
3. Long Beach State (3) 180
4. CS Northridge (1) 165
5. Hawaii 119
6. Cal Poly 109
7. UC Davis 79
8. CS Fullerton 64
9. UC Riverside 38
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Mike Caffey, Sr., G, Long Beach State,
Isaac Fotu, Jr., F, Hawaii
Corey Hawkins, Sr., G, UC Davis
Stephen Maxwell, Sr., F, Cal State Northridge
Mamadou Ndiaye, So., C, UC Irvine
Alan Williams, Sr., F, UC Santa Barbara
