Coming off a fifth-place finish in the Big West Conference last year and a humbling first-round exit in the conference tournament, the UC Santa Barbara baseball team is well-positioned to rebound in 2026.
The Gauchos have been tabbed for the top spot in the Big West Conference preseason coaches’ poll ahead of second-place pick Cal Poly and third-place selection UC Irvine.
“We recruited some older players, some JC guys, and a couple four-year transfers,” said UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts. “It feels like we’ve got some more depth offensively, and we have a solid core coming back.”