2026-27 WCC Preview: Santa Clara Sets the Pace, LMU Is the Sleeper

2026-10-27

Santa Clara is Mid-Major Hoops' pick to win the 2026–27 West Coast Conference, narrowly ahead of Saint Mary's. The league has a different shape after the departures of Gonzaga, Oregon State and Washington State for the Pac-12 and Denver's arrival from the Summit. There are ten members this season; future additions are not included in the forecast.

The most interesting disagreement comes below the top two. MMH has LMU third and selects the Lions as the sleeper, while the coaches place them sixth and Blue Ribbon eighth. San Francisco presents the reverse question: the coaches' third-place choice is ninth here because a heavily international rebuild and Newbury's return from a missed season introduce substantial uncertainty. The league's middle is close enough that the success of a new lead guard or a healthier frontcourt could move a team several places.

MMH projected order

MMH records are editorial forecasts and total 80 wins and 80 losses across the league. Ties are separated by MMH's overall evaluation; these are not predictions of official tiebreaker results.

Official preseason coaches' poll

The official October 15 WCC release reports the vote of all ten head coaches.

Bart Torvik and Blue Ribbon comparisons

The Torvik order and numbers are transcribed from the supplied 2027 preseason screenshot and are not a live refresh. Blue Ribbon's order is taken from its West Coast Conference section, printed pages 407–416.

The WCC plays 16 conference games. The supplied screenshot nevertheless shows LMU at 9–8 and Pepperdine at 8–9. Those 17-game lines are preserved exactly as supplied and should not be read as the official schedule or silently converted into 16-game records. MMH's own records use 16 games.

Blue Ribbon projected order: 1. Santa Clara; 2. Saint Mary's; 3. Seattle; 4. San Francisco; 5. Pacific; 6. San Diego; 7. Portland; 8. Loyola Marymount; 9. Pepperdine; 10. Denver.

Team-by-team outlook and projected rotations

All starting assignments and MMH records are editorial projections, not announced lineups or model-generated game picks. Heights and class years follow current official roster labels where available; class labels do not independently establish eligibility. Each team's first five players are projected starters and the next five are reserves. Returning refers to the 2025–26 program; previous school and career path can refer to an earlier stop.

Statistics are actual 2025–26 overall lines from the named school or club. NCAA Division II, junior-college and professional-club production is labeled and is not presented as Division I production. Incoming prep players and players who did not appear have zero college GP with N/A averages; no earlier season is silently substituted. N/A means not verified or not applicable, including recruiting ratings that could not be verified. A rating describes high-school recruiting, never transfer-portal value. Full career histories and individual source/conflict notes accompany the downloadable data.

1. Santa Clara

Santa Clara has the strongest combination of continuity in its decision-making positions and room to improve through the portal. Sash Gavalyugov returns after averaging 9.0 points and 2.7 assists, while Jake Ensminger supplies 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists from the frontcourt. Neither needs to dominate possession to make a lineup work. That matters for Kansas State arrival David Castillo, whose 10.3 points in 28.1 minutes provide a more substantial starting point than the modest scoring averages attached to several other incoming high-major transfers around this league.

The biggest variable is Elijah Mahi. The current roster lists him, and his 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists would change the offense considerably. His fifth-year eligibility was still described as pending in October 23 reporting; this projection includes him conditionally, with Thierry Darlan the alternative starter. The forecast should be revisited if Mahi cannot play. Creighton transfer Fedor Zugic gives Herb Sendek another experienced perimeter option, and KJ Cochran offers a returning developmental piece. Chris Tadjo did not play last season, so his contribution is a projection rather than established production.

The frontcourt is the reason to stop short of treating the Broncos as an overwhelming favorite. Sidi Gueye played only 3.4 minutes per game at Arizona, and Francis Chukwudebelu is still growing into a larger role. Ensminger can connect the offense, but Santa Clara needs its centers to finish possessions defensively without requiring constant help. The ceiling is a balanced offense with multiple handlers and enough size to punish smaller opponents. The risk is that an uncertain interior and Mahi's unresolved status leave Castillo carrying too much of the difficult-shot burden. MMH gives the Broncos a narrow title edge, with the clearest preseason contingency in the league.

Current official roster · David Castillo biography · Elijah Mahi biography · Sidi Gueye biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Chris Tadjo: no 2025–26 college appearances. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

Eligibility contingency: Mahi's starter assignment is conditional. Darlan is the alternative starter if Mahi is unavailable; no final eligibility clearance is claimed.

2. Saint Mary's

The case for Saint Mary's begins with Joshua Dent's control of the game. His final 2025–26 line—13.2 points, 5.6 assists and 36.3 minutes across 33 appearances—shows how much responsibility he can carry. He gives the Gaels an established organizer while much of the supporting rotation changes. Rather than expecting every newcomer to create independently, Saint Mary's can build possessions around Dent's reads and use its size to extend them.

Darius Bivins is the important freshman addition, with verified national top-100 rankings in Blue Ribbon. Asking a first-year guard to start alongside Dent is still an editorial projection, not a guarantee. Late Stanford transfer Jeremy Dent-Smith, who averaged 8.2 points, adds a more experienced scoring option than the earlier yearbook personnel picture suggested. Mantas Juzenas and Syracuse transfer Luke Fennell provide alternative perimeter combinations. Myles Che does not appear on the checked current roster and is excluded from the ten-player projection.

There are enough big bodies to sustain the program's usual emphasis on rebounding and paint defense, but their roles are unsettled. Vangelis Zougris comes from Louisville, Thomas Ndong averaged 6.5 rebounds at California Baptist, and Salih Altuntas arrives from Miami. Jazz Gardner returns after a season without appearances. The question is which combinations can defend the lane while preserving room for Dent and Bivins to operate. Jalen Lewis is on the roster, but a verified 2025–26 club line was not recovered; older professional statistics are not substituted. Saint Mary's has the league's most dependable lead guard and a strong path to first place. MMH places the Gaels second because their new perimeter hierarchy and offensive spacing require more projection than Santa Clara's.

Current official roster · Joshua Dent biography · Jeremy Dent-Smith biography · Jazz Gardner biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Darius Bivins: no 2025–26 college appearances; Jazz Gardner: no 2025–26 college appearances; Jalen Lewis: GP, MPG, PPG, RPG, APG N/A. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

3. Loyola Marymount

LMU is MMH's sleeper because the personnel supports a more coherent lineup than its sixth-place coaches' poll position or eighth-place Blue Ribbon forecast implies. The most important newcomer is Zion Sensley, who averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds at UC Santa Barbara. His ability to contribute on the glass gives the Lions a wing-sized solution to a frontcourt problem, and his scoring means he cannot be treated solely as a defensive specialist.

All Wright arrives from Xavier after averaging 7.5 points and 2.0 assists, with an earlier college stop at Valparaiso. The larger role projected for him is a bet on fit and opportunity; his Xavier production alone does not establish him as an elite WCC point guard. Jasai Miles offers additional size on the perimeter after a limited role at Indiana. Returning forward Aaron McBride produced 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds, and Jevon Porter returns to LMU following a 12-game season at Missouri. Porter gives this roster an appealing offensive ceiling, but both his availability and the defensive fit of larger lineups warrant caution.

The reserve group has credible alternatives rather than only developmental projects. AJ Thomas returns after playing all 32 games, Jacksonville transfer Donovan Rivers averaged 8.6 points, and Andy Sigiscar supplied 7.2 points at Tarleton State. LSU transfer Mazi Mosley has a verified recruiting pedigree but only 6.4 minutes per game of last-season evidence. Freshman Zamir Paschal rounds out this projected ten. LMU can play bigger, distribute rebounding responsibility and avoid making every possession depend on one guard. The obstacle is converting those options into stable roles and adequate shooting. MMH projects third, but the prediction needs Porter available and Wright effective as a primary organizer.

Current official roster · All Wright biography · Zion Sensley biography · Jevon Porter biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Zamir Paschal: no 2025–26 college appearances. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

4. Seattle

Seattle's strongest argument is that its best returning players solve different problems. Will Heimbrodt provides interior disruption and rebounding; the official WCC release identifies him as the reigning conference Defensive Player of the Year. Junseok Yeo supplies a more offensive frontcourt role after averaging 12.0 points. Maleek Arington's 3.9 assists help keep the attack connected without demanding a high shot volume. Those pieces give the Redhawks a recognizable identity while their new guards settle in.

Holy Cross transfer Tyler Boston is projected to take the lead scoring role in the backcourt after a full 32-game season of 14.2 points and 3.6 assists. He offers a different kind of threat from Arington: someone opponents must account for as a scorer while defending the initial action. Kaden Hansen brings 18.6 points per game from NCAA Division II Saint Martin's, but that production must be translated to a more difficult schedule. Washington State transfers Tómas Thrastarson and Mason Williams add perimeter options; Williams had no college appearances in 2025–26. Thrastarson's 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds provide a useful starting point for a larger role.

Cincinnati transfer Halvine Dzellat and junior-college addition Ladji Coulibaly give Seattle options at center, allowing Heimbrodt and Yeo to move through different matchups. Yuto Kawashima is a longer-term upside piece after just four appearances. The concern is offensive efficiency when Boston sits or opponents force Arington to score. Seattle also must avoid confusing shot blocking with a complete defensive possession: its guards still have to contain the ball and its bigs must secure the rebound. The returning defensive spine supports a top-half finish. A sustained challenge to the top two depends on the new perimeter players producing against WCC defenses, not simply reproducing prior-school averages.

Current official roster · Tyler Boston biography · Will Heimbrodt biography · Halvine Dzellat biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Will Heimbrodt: MPG N/A; Junseok Yeo: MPG N/A; Mason Williams: no 2025–26 college appearances; Yuto Kawashima: APG N/A. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

5. Pacific

Pacific's rebuild has a clear point of emphasis: put the ball in the hands of guards who have already handled major offensive responsibility. Manhattan transfer Jaden Winston averaged 15.3 points and 3.8 assists in 34.8 minutes. Dartmouth arrival Connor Amundsen adds 9.5 points and 3.7 assists. Together they give the Tigers a plausible way to create an initial advantage and still have a second decision-maker available when opponents take away the first option.

That backcourt will have to help several frontcourt players grow into larger roles. Jaion Pitt returns after averaging 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds. Stanford transfer Jaylen Thompson brings size on the wing but only 11.1 minutes per game of last-season experience. Houston transfer Jacob McFarland appeared in four games; his recruiting background and physical tools offer potential, while his 2025–26 line supplies very little evidence of immediate offensive production. The Tigers should be judged on how that group finishes and defends possessions, not on the reputations of their former schools.

CJ Jones and Adriel Nyorha give the backcourt additional college experience. Damarion Vann-Kelly brings junior-college scoring, and Gavin Ripp arrives from San Diego as a versatile reserve forward. Jorge Carot is a new Spanish frontcourt prospect; no complete verified Valencia Liga U season line was recovered. The strength is guard play with enough alternatives to reduce dependence on Winston. The weaknesses are frontcourt certainty and the amount of coordination a heavily rebuilt roster must develop. Fifth reflects a credible middle-of-the-league floor if the guards settle quickly, with a higher finish available if Pitt and McFarland make the paint a dependable source of defense and easy offense.

Current official roster · Jaden Winston biography · Jaylen Thompson biography · Jacob McFarland biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Damarion Vann-Kelly: MPG N/A; Gavin Ripp: APG N/A; Jorge Carot: GP, MPG, PPG, RPG, APG N/A. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

6. Pepperdine

Pepperdine's case for improvement is less speculative than its ninth-place Blue Ribbon position might suggest. Petar Majstorovic averaged 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds at Long Beach State, giving the Waves a frontcourt player who has already handled a meaningful offensive load. He should help them create quality possessions without requiring the guards to beat their man on every trip. North Texas transfer Will McClendon averaged 13.0 points, but only across four appearances; health and sample size must accompany that number.

Evan Haywood adds perimeter shooting after averaging 7.2 points at Butler. Freshman Alex Constanza, a verified national top-100 recruit, is projected to start on the wing. His size expands the lineup's possibilities, but the ranking is a reason to watch his development rather than proof he can carry a college offense immediately. Anthony Robinson brings size from Xavier. Kent State transfer Jahari Williamson, who averaged 10.3 points, gives the bench an established college scorer and could readily play starter-level minutes.

Youri Fritz and Ethan Meuser add experienced frontcourt alternatives, while Dontae Russo-Nance and Faruk Biberovic bring professional-club backgrounds. Their club statistics are separately labeled; conflicting Perth competition scopes prevent a reliable complete 2025–26 line for Russo-Nance. The strongest version of Pepperdine has enough shooting around Majstorovic to keep the lane accessible and enough size to finish defensive possessions. The risks are continuity, McClendon's availability and the burden placed on Constanza early. MMH's sixth-place projection recognizes the offensive ingredients while waiting for evidence that the group can defend consistently. The Waves belong in the crowded middle rather than being dismissed on the basis of their earlier roster picture.

Current official roster · Will McClendon biography · Alex Constanza biography · Anthony Robinson biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Alex Constanza: no 2025–26 college appearances; Dontae Russo-Nance: GP, MPG, PPG, RPG, APG N/A; Faruk Biberovic: GP, MPG N/A. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

7. San Diego

San Diego has a more convincing supply of perimeter scoring than its eighth-place coaches' poll position suggests. Marqui Worthy Jr. averaged 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists at UC Riverside, while Davion Hill supplied 14.0 points at Ball State. Those are substantial college roles, not projections based solely on recruiting rankings. Their challenge is sharing creation duties so that the offense produces easier attempts for teammates instead of alternating difficult individual possessions.

Dusty Stromer arrives from Grand Canyon after an earlier stop at Gonzaga and gives the projected starting group another experienced wing. Sekou Konneh produced 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in only 13.5 minutes at Milwaukee, making his ability to sustain productivity in a larger role a meaningful swing factor. Jose Roberto Tanchyn averaged 5.7 rebounds at UMBC. The pairing gives San Diego size, but neither should be assumed to solve the team's interior defense automatically.

The bench broadens the options. Braylon Roman averaged 4.7 assists at Northwest Florida State, Jevon Hill brings 14.6 points from Division II Central Missouri, and Terry McMorris supplied 5.8 rebounds at Eastern Illinois. Returning Alejandro Aviles and freshman Brannon Martinsen offer additional frontcourt possibilities. The concern is how quickly a roster with very little continuity can build defensive communication and a shot hierarchy. Worthy and Davion Hill provide a basis for competitive offense; advancing into the top half requires the group to rebound, get back in transition and avoid surrendering an efficiency advantage at the other end. MMH has the Toreros seventh, close enough to the middle tier that a few better defensive possessions each night could substantially change the finish.

Current official roster · Davion Hill biography · Dusty Stromer biography · Jose Roberto Tanchyn biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Alejandro Aviles: MPG, APG N/A; Brannon Martinsen: no 2025–26 college appearances. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

8. Portland

Portland can argue for improvement through healthier returning players as much as through transfers. Timo George averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 games, while James O'Donnell supplied 10.0 points over 34 appearances. Dante Censori-Hercules returns as another sizeable perimeter piece. That gives the Pilots a frontcourt and wing group with familiarity, though George's smaller sample should temper any assumption that his production will hold across an entire season.

Riley Parker is the most important season-label correction in this preview. He appeared in just one Portland game in 2025–26, playing 19 minutes and recording four points, one rebound and two assists. His much larger Saint Francis scoring average belongs to 2024–25 and is not last season's production. Portland needs his ball handling and availability more than a misleading statistical headline. Louisiana transfer Jaxon Olvera, who averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds, provides a more recent full-season scoring foundation.

RJ Nance Jr. brings 14.1 points from New Mexico Junior College, and Kaia Isaac supplies experience after playing 32 games at Tarleton State. Hunter Adam arrives from Davidson and Vito Perkovic from East Carolina; freshman Austin Foxwell adds another guard option. The depth should permit more combinations, but the Pilots still need consistent perimeter containment and efficient possessions when the first action stalls. Their strongest path is to use their returning size to reduce defensive mistakes while Parker, Olvera and Nance share the organizing work. MMH projects eighth, a modest step above the coaches' ninth-place forecast, with a healthier George and Parker the clearest route to a larger jump.

Current official roster · Riley Parker biography · Dante Censori-Hercules biography · James O'Donnell biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Austin Foxwell: no 2025–26 college appearances. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

9. San Francisco

San Francisco is the sharpest disagreement between MMH and the official coaches' poll. The coaches place the Dons third; MMH projects ninth because the current roster asks several newcomers to translate club or limited college roles at the same time. That is a wide range of possible outcomes, not a claim that the roster lacks talent. A fast adaptation by the new guards would make this projection look too cautious.

Dylan Bordón brings a 19.1-point, 5.0-assist season from Canarias Liga U, and Yoav Vitlem arrives from Hapoel Beer Sheva with substantial professional minutes. Those are meaningful experiences, but neither line should be presented as NCAA production. Gustav Knudsen adds another European professional background. Auburn transfer Abdul Bashir appeared in six games last season, so the size of his projected scoring role here is not established by his SEC stat line. Ben Oosterbaan supplies a more conventional college comparison after averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds at St. Thomas.

Ndewedo Newbury returns after a medical-redshirt season with no 2025–26 appearances. His older San Francisco averages are not assigned to last season. Ismaila Diagne offers interior size from Gonzaga, while Jaroslavs Pihtovs and Mason Magee enter from high school and Žiga Daneu from Cedevita Olimpija. The appeal is positional size and a deep pool of international experience. The concern is the lack of an established shared college offensive structure, compounded by uncertainty about Newbury's immediate workload. MMH's lower placement gives more weight to that coordination risk than the coaches do. It is also one of the league's most fragile predictions: reliable guard play and a healthy Newbury could move the Dons several places.

Current official roster · Dylan Bordón biography · Gustav Knudsen biography · Ismaila Diagne biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Dylan Bordón: MPG N/A; Ndewedo Newbury: no 2025–26 college appearances; Jaroslavs Pihtovs: no 2025–26 college appearances; Mason Magee: no 2025–26 college appearances; Žiga Daneu: GP, MPG, PPG, RPG, APG N/A. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

10. Denver

Denver's first WCC season begins with the league's clearest high-volume returning scorer. Carson Johnson averaged 20.1 points and 3.0 assists in 35.6 minutes for the Pioneers. His ability to generate offense gives Denver a chance in games where the supporting cast struggles, but it also makes the defensive assignment straightforward for opponents: make somebody else initiate and finish the possession.

Logan Threatt arrives from Division II MSU Denver after averaging 16.6 points and 2.6 assists. Translating that offense could give Johnson a needed second creator. Jordan Rogers brings 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists from NJIT, and returning Shaun Wysocki supplies continuity on the wing. Kansas City transfer Baba Mbengue, listed as Babacar Mbengue in the previous school's final statistics, adds seven-foot size but played only eight minutes per game last season. His ability to stay on the floor against mobile WCC frontcourts is a significant part of the defensive equation.

CJ Hyland offers another ball handler from Western Carolina, Jaelen Nelson brings Division II experience from Edward Waters, and Trey Cady provides a frontcourt scoring option after a season at North Florida. Spencer Mahoney and junior-college big Harry Bates round out the projected ten. The issue is the balance between Johnson's proven scoring and a defense that must improve substantially to survive the new league. The supplied Torvik snapshot places Denver's projected adjusted defense well behind the rest of the WCC field. MMH projects tenth because offensive competitiveness does not automatically become enough stops. If Threatt translates and the frontcourt rebounds reliably, Denver can challenge teams above it; Johnson alone should make the Pioneers dangerous to overlook.

Current official roster · Carson Johnson biography · Jordan Rogers biography · Baba Mbengue biography

Projected rotation

Statistical availability: Harry Bates: MPG, APG N/A. See the individual audit for the reason and checked sources.

Conference outlook

Santa Clara and Saint Mary's set the title standard, but Seattle's returning defense and LMU's roster fit create credible challengers. The central question is how quickly rebuilt perimeter groups turn talent into repeatable possessions. Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego and Portland have paths to outperforming their slots, while San Francisco carries an unusually wide range of outcomes. Denver has a genuine individual scoring threat in Johnson and a substantial defensive challenge.

Research note

Research cutoff: October 27, 2026. The supplied 2026–27 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook is the primary scouting reference. Current official rosters, individual biographies and final prior-school cumulative statistics take precedence over earlier personnel lists and partial samples. The separate player audit documents all 100 selected players, including the fields that remain N/A. These are projections for the current membership, not a transfer of last season's conference affiliations.