IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the 2023-24 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Nikki Tom was named to the preseason all-conference team.
 
The Anteaters, who won the 2022-23 Big West regular season title, were predicted to place among the top-three in the league for the fifth time in the last six years. They earned two of the 11 first-place votes and 88 total points to come in behind Hawai'i, which took the top spot with 95 points (six first-place votes).
 
UC Davis also received three first-place nods but finished third with 85 points. UC Santa Barbara (65) was next up in fourth, while Cal State Fullerton and UC San Diego tied for fifth with 59 points. Long Beach State (45), Cal Poly (42), Cal State Bakersfield (25), UC Riverside (24) and CSUN (18) rounded out the poll.
 
Nikki Tom secured her first preseason honor after earning All-Big West honorable mention recognition last season. As a sophomore, Tom logged 35.7 minutes per outing, which led the team and ranked third in the conference. She started every game, averaging 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals.
 
Overall, UCI welcomes back 10 letterwinners from a historic 2022-23 season that saw the program's first Big West championship, first national postseason tournament victory and a school-record 25 wins.
 
UC Irvine will begin the 2023-24 campaign on the road at Pepperdine on Tuesday, Nov. 7, and will host Southern Utah in their home opener on Saturday, Nov. 11.
 
 
2023-24 Big West Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Hawai'i - 95 (6)
2. UC Irvine - 88 (2)
3. UC Davis - 85 (3)
4. UC Santa Barbara - 65
T5. Cal State Fullerton - 59
T5. UC San Diego - 59
7. Long Beach State - 45
8. Cal Poly - 42
9. Cal State Bakersfield - 25
10. UC Riverside - 24
11. CSUN - 18
 
2023-24 All-Big West Preseason Coaches Team
Fujika Nimmo - Cal State Fullerton
Daejah Phillips - Hawai'i
Tova Sabel - UC Davis
Nikki Tom - UC Irvine
Evanne Turner - UC Davis
Lily Wahinekapu - Hawai'i