WSOC: 2021 season preview; UBC tops coaches poll

VANCOUVER - With the start of the Canada West season set to get underway on Saturday, the conference released its preseason coaches poll and team previews on Thursday.

The reigning national champion UBC Thunderbirds come in as the preseason favourite after collecting 214 points in the poll. The Thunderbirds, who earned with a CW silver medal in 2019, received eight first-place votes from the conference's coaches.

After being denied a third-straight conference title in 2019, the Trinity Western Spartans will look to recapture the Canada West crown in 2021. The Spartans, who won the CW bronze medal in 2019, came in second in the coaches poll (207 points), and received four first-place votes.

The Calgary Dinos will aim to defend their 2019 Canada West title and are once again a favourite to do so. The Dinos tied Trinity Western with 207 points in the poll, and received three first-place votes to claim third spot.

The hosts of the CW Final Four in 2019, the MacEwan Griffins, rounded out the top four with 178 points and one first-place vote.

The Central Division is first to hit the field as they get play underway on September 4 with a pair of matches. The Calgary Dinos open up their CW title defence in a crosstown meeting with the Mount Royal Cougars. In Edmonton, the MacEwan Griffins play host to the Alberta Pandas.

The rest of the conference's 12 teams will begin play a week later with a full slate of matches set for September 11 and 12. To view the full 2021 women's soccer schedule, click here.

Teams will play the 2021 CW regular season exclusively within their own divisions after alternate playing formats were announced by the conference on May 5.

To get you set for the 2021 season, a complete team-by-team preview can be found here.

WOMEN'S SOCCER ON CANADA WEST TV PRESENTED BY CO-OP

Every women's soccer game will be available live and on demand this season on Canada West TV Presented by Co-op – the official streaming home of the conference. To purchase your pass, click here.

2021 CW WSOC PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Team - Points (First-place votes)

NOTE: Coaches ranked all opponents 1-15. First-place votes worth 15 points, second-place worth 14 points etc. *TWU gets higher placing with more first-place votes.