SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Big West announced its Men's Water Polo Preseason Coaches' Poll and Team on Monday, placing UC Santa Barbara attacker and 2025 Big West Freshman of the Year Charlie Johnson on the seven-man preseason team. The Gauchos were picked to finish fifth among the conference's six teams, with UC San Diego and newcomers California Baptist in a tie for third directly ahead of them.
 
Santa Barbara was picked fifth in 2025 as well but finished an impressive second in The Big West, with Johnson's 44 goals and 70 total points — putting him in the top 10 of all Big West players in both categories — an energizing addition to a core of veteran Gauchos. However, Johnson enters 2026 as the team's highest returning goal-scorer, with the other members of that veteran core either graduated or elsewhere. To support their Preseason All-Big West selection, Santa Barbara retains three key big men: centers Kai Ross and Camren Simoncelli, each of whom had 30-goal seasons in 2025, as well as six-foot-six utility man Landon Lassahn, who will be one of the team's captains this season. His co-captain will be Finn Genc, who is back in action after missing all of 2025 through injury. He has 46 goals across his Gaucho career so far.
 
And the Gauchos have reason to believe that they can defy expectations and finish higher than predicted. After all, it is what they have done in each of the first three seasons of Big West Men's Water Polo. The first season back, 2023, saw Santa Barbara finish second in the regular season and come within two goals of the conference title after being picked third. When they were picked fifth in 2024, they finished fourth and were only knocked out of the conference tournament by the eventual champions. And they were picked fifth again in 2025, only to grab another second-place finish and again only be knocked out by the eventual champions.
 
The Gauchos begin their 2026 campaign on Friday, Aug. 28 at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, with matches against No. 20 Saint Mary's and McKendree. Santa Barbara's first home matches of the season are set for Sept. 6 at Santa Barbara High School, hosting No. 4 Stanford and Cal Lutheran, and the Gauchos will kick off Big West play at home on Oct. 10, hosting No. 13 California Baptist.

2026 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Long Beach State — 24 (4)
2. UC Irvine — 19 (1)
T-3. UC San Diego — 16 (1)
T-3. California Baptist — 16
5. UC Santa Barbara — 10
6. Cal State Fullerton — 5
 
2026 Preseason Coaches' Team
Gabi Acosta — Center — Long Beach State
Landon Akerstrom — Attacker — UC San Diego
Cole Francisco — Utility — UC Irvine
Alex Hegeman — Goalkeeper — UC San Diego
Charlie Johnson — Attacker — UC Santa Barbara
Andrew Nuzzo — Attacker — California Baptist
Corbin Stanley — Center — Long Beach State