Point Loma had their best men's soccer season in school history in 2025, winning the conference title and tournament, while also posting two NCAA tournament wins.

The Sea Lions have enough firepower returning from that team to make them the easy pick to repeat their PacWest Conference title in 2026. Point Loma earned seven of the ten first place votes and 96 poll points. Vanguard was next with 82 points and two first place votes, followed by Hawai`i Hilo with 80 poll points. 

Concordia is next with 71 points and one first place vote, followed by Westmont (54), Hawai`i Pacific (45), Dominican (43), Biola (42), Chamiande (21) and Jessup (16).

Point Loma, directed by head coach Phil Wolf (15th season), rolled through the PacWest tournament last year after winning the regular season title with a 9-1 record. The Sea Lions outscored their PacWest opponents 8-1 in the two PacWest tournament matches and then went on to dispatch of CSU San Bernardino and UC Colorado Springs in the NCAA tournament. Their season finally came to an end with a 3-2 double overtime loss to Midwestern State (TX), who would go on to win the NCAA Division II national championship. PLNU would finish 16-4-2.

Wolf has 17 returnees from that team, including six all conference players--Cole Friesen (F, Sr., 1^st Team All-Conference), Inaki Santamarina (MF, So., 2^nd Team All-Conference), Ryan Doyle (D, Sr.1^st Team All-Conference, ), Shawn O'Brien (D, Jr., 3^rd Team All-Conference), Jeremy Caringella (GK, Jr.), Zack Mercieca (F, Sr.) and Simon Sagal (2024 all-conference). Friesen was the West Region Player of the Year and Doyle was the 2024 PacWest Defender of the Year. Additionally, Point Loma signed six transfers, all who played at the Division I or II level. 

At least two conference coaches believe that Vanguard can challenge Point Loma for the conference title. The Lions, coming off a second place conference finish at 7-1-2, return 20 players including First Team All-Conference selection Alex Martinez and Third Team pick Luke Parker. Head coach Jesus Miramontes is in his fifth season at Vanguard, and he led the Lions to the conference tournament last year in their first season of eligibility.

Hawai`i Hilo, who reached the PacWest title game and won their first-ever NCAA tournament match, is slotted third with 80 poll points. The Vulcans won 12 matches a year ago and return ten players from that squad, including Second Team All-PacWest defender Jakob Santiago. Fourth-year coach Diego Marroquin also signed eight transfers to his 2026 squad.

Fourth in the poll is Concordia, who had 71 poll points and one first place vote. Last season, in coach Josh Glover's first campaign, the Golden Eagles finished 6-4 in conference play. Glover has 15 players back from that squad, including eight starters. Rounding out the top five is Westmont (54 poll points). Head coach Morgan Cathey (4th season) looks to get his team back to the postseason, after advancing to the NCAA tournament in 2024 in their first season of eligibility. Cathey welcomes back 23 players including all 11 starters, led by Weston Ash (F, So., 3^rd Team All-Conference) and Barrett Goodman (D, SR - 2024 all-conference).

Hawai`i Pacific is sixth (45). Head coach Chris Fisher (17th season) has a whopping 24 returning players from a Sharks squad that went 6-8-2 overall last year. That includes two third team all-conference picks--Kelly Takara and Paul Norgberg. Dominican follows (43), directed by veteran coach David Frank (9th season). Frank has 21 players returning with five starters, led by Rolando Gonzalez, a third-team forward. 

Biola has a new coach in Malik Shaheed, who inherits 18 returnees and five starters. Veteran Luca McGreevy Couchman was the 2023 PacWest Freshman of the Year and will give leadership to Shaheed and the Eagles. Chaminade is ninth (21 points). Head coach Joshua Woodard (5th season) has 18 returnees and he signed eight transfers. Jessup completes the group of ten (16 poll points) and will head into 2026 under coach Gregory Lazaga and 15 returnees. 

Action for all ten PacWest teams begins on Thursday, August 27. Non-conference action continues until PacWest play begins on September 23. Each squad will play nine conference games and the top four teams at the end of that slate will qualify for the PacWest Championships, to be held Nov. 5-7 at Dominican in San Rafael.