For the second straight year, the UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team sits atop the Big West Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
The Gauchos claimed six out of 10 first-place votes to tie UC Irvine with 71 points. Additionally, the Gauchos had three players voted to the Big West Preseason Coaches’ Team.
Finn Ballard McBride, Henry Davies and Thaabit Baartman were recognized. They return to a side that is one of the clear favorites to repeat as Big West champion in 2022.
Finn Ballard McBride was a 2021 All-Big West First Team pick and is a two-time leading goalscorer in the conference. He put away nine goals in both the 2019 and 2021 seasons.
He is UCSB’s fourth-ever player to make it onto a freshman All-America list after Top Drawer Soccer listed him on its team at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. He also became the ninth Gaucho in 11 years to earn Big West Freshman of the Year honors.
In 2021, he not only led the Big West in goals but ranked first in the conference in assists (7) and points (25).
Henry Davies returns after being name 2021 Big West Defensive Player of the Year, All-Big West First Team. He anchored the backline to seven clean sheets in the regular season and two more in the Big West Semifinals and Championship wins over UC Davis and UC Irvine, respectively. UCSB’s defense allowed fewer than a goal per game while the offense averaged 2.1.
Davies also came up big on offense, scoring three times, including the game-winner at UC San Diego on Oct. 13, and put the Gauchos up 3-0 in the championship game against the Anteaters. The Springwood, Australia native took home the Gauchos’ 11th Big West Defensive Player of the Year award (2001, 2004-07, 2009-11, 2014, 2019), most in the conference.
Thaabit Baartman, a 2021 All-Big West First-Team pick, made a huge impact from the outset as he scored three goals in his first four matches as a Gaucho.
Baartman’s readiness to go for goal saw him attempt 54 shots last year, well ahead of Ballard McBride’s second-ranked 33 attempts.