UCI men picked in middle, women last

In nine games before tearing a knee ligament, Zdenek averaged 8.1 points.

No UCI women were on the six-player preseason all-conference team.

Defending champion UC Riverside was picked atop both polls, followed by UC Santa Barbara. Riverside received nine of 10 first-place votes in the media poll and eight of nine in the coaches’ poll. Santa Barbara received one first-place vote in each poll.

The media poll went as follows: UC Riverside (89), UCSB (81), Cal Poly (56), Long Beach State (53), UC Davis (53), Cal State Fullerton (43), Northridge (30), UCI (25) and Pacific (20).

The coaches poll was as follows: UC Riverside (64), UCSB (57), UC Davis (44), Cal Poly (41), Long Beach State (37), Cal State Fullerton (24), Pacific (23), UCI (17) and Northridge (17).

The UCI men play an exhibition game Nov. 6 against Cal Baptist at Crawford Court, while the women play Cal Baptist in an exhibition game Nov. 1 at Crawford Court.

The UCI men are scheduled to open the regular season Nov. 9 against Loyola Marymount, at 7:30 p.m. at Crawford Court.

The UCI women’s opener is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 against New Mexico State at Crawford Court.

— Barry Faulkner