UC Irvine Named Big West Preseason Favorite
October 15, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Anteaters receive seven first-place votes to lead 12-team conference
IRVINE, Calif. -- UC Irvine men's basketball has been selected to finish first in the 2026-27 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced Thursday.
The Anteaters received 114 points and seven first-place votes to lead the 12-team field, ahead of UC San Diego (105 points, three first-place votes) and UC Santa Barbara (103 points, two first-place votes).
The preseason recognition follows another successful campaign for UC Irvine, which captured their 10th Big West regular-season championship in 2025-26 and advanced to postseason play for the fourth consecutive year.
Head coach Russell Turner enters his 17th season at the helm after guiding the Anteaters to their 11th 20-win campaign during his tenure. Under Turner, UCI has established itself as one of the conference's most consistent programs, claiming eight Big West regular-season titles since 2014.
The Anteaters return a core of experienced players while welcoming a group of newcomers ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. UC Irvine also gained valuable international experience over the summer, representing the United States at the 45th William Jones Cup in Taiwan, where the Anteaters finished with a 7-1 record.
UC Irvine opens its regular season at the Bren Events Center in November following a preseason slate that featured an exhibition in Montreal against UQAM at the beginning of the month as well as an upcoming game at home against Cal State LA.
2026-27 Big West Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank Institution Points
1 UC Irvine 114 (7)
2 UC San Diego 105 (3)
3 UC Santa Barbara 103 (2)
4 CSUN 86
5 Utah Valley 85
6 Cal Poly 75
7 Sacramento State 65
8 Cal State Fullerton 49
9 California Baptist 40
10 Cal State Bakersfield 28
11 UC Riverside 23
12 Long Beach State 19
First-place votes in parentheses.
