WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - The UC San Diego women's soccer team, with its starting lineup intact from the highly successful 2009 season, earned selection as one of the favorites to capture the 2010 California Collegiate Athletic Association title, league officials announced Wednesday.

With as much drama as a preseason poll can possibly possess, votes of the league's coaches showed defending conference Cal State L.A. and UCSD as equal favorites to win the CCAA Tournament. Led by head coach Brian McManus, the Tritons are poised to build on the 2009 campaign that ended with a 15-5-2 overall record and an appearance in the NCAA West Region championship.

Lisa Bradley, the most experienced of the returning starters for UCSD, earned All-American status in 2009 and will provide veteran leadership as a senior captain at the midfield position this season.

In the preseason poll released Wednesday, NCAA Division II National Runner-Up Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State were selected to win their respective divisions.

CSULA and UCSD garnered four votes apiece to win the CCAA Tournament. CSUDH enters the upcoming season as the favorite to capture the South Division title after collecting 59 points and six first-place votes. UCSD finished third after garnering 54 points and two first-place votes.

A total of seven teams received votes in balloting to determine the participants for the CCAA Tournament that is scheduled for Nov. 5-7 at Warrior Stadium on the campus of Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock.

The Tritons begin their 2010 season with a home match against Dominican on Sept. 2 at 4:30 p.m. Conference play is slated to begin on Friday, Sept. 10 when all 12 teams are in action.

2010 CCAA Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank - School (First-Place Votes)
North
1. Chico State (8)
2. Sonoma State (4)
3. Humboldt State
4. San Francisco State
5. Cal State Stanislaus
6. Cal State Monterey Bay

South
1. Cal State Dominguez Hills (6)
2. Cal State L.A. (4)
3. UC San Diego (2)
4. Cal State San Bernardino
5. Cal Poly Pomona
6. Cal State East Bay

Conference Tournament Participants
T1. Cal State Dominguez Hills (11)
T1. Cal State L.A. (11)
T3. Chico State (9)
T3. UC San Diego (9)
5. Sonoma State (5)
6. Cal State San Bernardino (2)
7. Humboldt State

CCAA Tournament Champion (Votes)
T1. Cal State L.A. (4)
T1. UC San Diego (4)
3. Cal State Dominguez Hills (3)
4. Chico State (1)