SAN FRANCISCO – Stanford was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 when the conference announced the results of the preseason coaches' poll on Thursday morning at the league's annual Media Day in San Francisco.
The Cardinal totaled 110 points and garnered two first-place votes. UCLA was the leading vote getter, receiving eight first-place votes and collecting 116 points. Washington was third with two first-place votes and 93 points. Arizona State (89 points) was fourth and Oregon State (81 points) fifth while California (71 points) rounded out the top half of the poll in sixth.
It's the second consecutive season Stanford has come in second in the preseason poll. The Cardinal had topped the rankings for 15 consecutive years beginning in 2000-01. UCLA was last atop the preseason rankings in the late 1990's, checking it at No. 1 prior to both the 1998-99 and 1999-00 campaigns.
Stanford made its 18th overall trip to the Elite Eight and 10th in the last 13 years in 2015-16, posting a 27-8 overall record and a 14-4 mark in Pac-12 play. The Cardinal won 25 games for the 15th straight year and became the seventh Division I institution to reach the 1,000-victory plateau when it beat Oregon State on February 26.
Oregon (69 points), Utah (52 points), USC (44 points), Washington State (31 points), Colorado (22 points) and Arizona (14 points) rounded out the rest of the poll.
Stanford kicks off its regular-season with five straight home games beginning on Friday, Nov. 11 against Cal Poly. Highlighting Stanford's nonconference slate are a pair of matchups against fellow Elite Eight squads from last season in Texas and Tennessee. The Cardinal hosts the Longhorns on Monday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. in a nationally-televised game on ESPN2 that is part of ESPN's ninth annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. Stanford's storied rivalry with Tennessee adds another chapter in Knoxville on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Season tickets, mini plans and single-game seats are on sale now by visiting gostanford.com/tickets or calling 800-STANFORD.
2016-17 Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank | School | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCLA | 116 (8) |
| 2 | Stanford | 110 (2) |
| 3 | Washington | 93 (2) |
| 4 | Arizona State | 89 |
| 5 | Oregon State | 81 |
| 6 | California | 71 |
| 7 | Oregon | 69 |
| 8 | Utah | 52 |
| 9 | USC | 44 |
| 10 | Washington State | 31 |
| 11 | Colorado | 22 |
| 12 | Arizona | 14 |