By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

The 42nd West Coast Conference men's championship and 32nd women's finals are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 28 at Tecolote Shores Park in San Diego. The women's championship is at 10 a.m. PST and the men's at 11 a.m.

Here are 10 storylines to follow at one of the most underrated conference finals in the country:

Duplicating the drama

For the first time in conference finals history, a championship was decided on a tiebreaker when Gonzaga edged BYU for the women’s crown last season after both teams finished with 59 points. Instead of a sixth-runner tiebreaker, Gonzaga was awarded its first title since 1995 based on its fastest three runners finishing ahead of BYU’s top three scorers head to head. Although the Bulldogs aren’t expected to be in contention to defend their championship, Portland, San Francisco and BYU have the potential to produce another thrilling final after the top three teams were separated by five points last season in the closest women’s final in conference history.

BYU aiming for back to back

In the most dominant performance at the conference finals in a decade, BYU placed seven runners in the top eight in last year’s final, all separated by 32 seconds to post a 17-66 victory over Portland. Despite Dallin Farnsworth, conference freshman of the year last season, being sidelined with a season-ending stress fracture the Cougars still return more than enough firepower to secure consecutive West Coast championships for the first time since joining the conference in 2011. BYU has never finished lower than second in its five conference finals appearances, but after a third-place finish at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational behind top-ranked Northern Arizona and Stanford, the Cougars are significant favorites to capture two straight titles for the first time since repeating in the Mountain West Conference in 2007-08.

Ready to take over

For the fifth consecutive year, a new women’s individual champion will be crowned and a great battle is expected involving Portland junior Lauren LaRocco and San Francisco senior Charlotte Taylor. LaRocco was 18^th as a freshman and sixth last year, with Taylor, a native of England, placing eighth at last year’s final. LaRocco was ninth in the 6-kilometer blue race in 20:22.4 at the Pre-Nationals in Indiana, with Taylor finishing 10^th in the 6-kilometer race in 20:22.2 at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. BYU senior Yesenia Silva, who finished 12^th at last year’s conference final, placed 26^th in 20:43 in Wisconsin and Gonzaga fifth-year senior Jessica Mildes, the top returnee after placing third at last season’s championship meet, finished 40^th in the 6-kilometer white race in 22:13.1 at the Pre-Nationals.

Continuing a title tradition

In its five seasons since joining the conference, BYU has produced four individual men’s champions, including Aaron Fletcher last year. Senior Nicolas Montanez, last year’s runner-up, will look to build on that tradition for the Cougars after placing ninth in the 8-kilometer race at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in 24:02.8, with teammates Jonathan Harper (24:18.5) and Rory Linkletter (24:20.9) finishing in 18^th and 22^nd. Montanez will be tested by San Francisco senior Alex Short, who broke up BYU’s pack by securing fourth at last year’s West Coast championship meet. Short finished seventh in the 8-kilometer blue race in 24:11.2 at the Pre-Nationals in Indiana.

Bright futures for freshmen

BYU’s Dallin Farnsworth and San Francisco’s Weronika Pyzik were honored as conference freshmen of the year last season after placing third and fifth at the finals. Several impressive debuts are expected at this year’s championship meet, including BYU’s Brayden McLelland and Portland’s Tristan Peloquin. McLelland was 40^th in the 8-kilometer race at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in 24:29, with Peloquin placing 59^th in the 8-kilometer blue race in 24:57.2 at Pre-Nationals. In the women’s race, BYU has a pair of talented freshmen in Olivia Hoj and Courtney Wayment. Hoj was 43^rd in the 6-kilometer race in 20:54.8, with Wayment continuing to improve following a 114^th-place finish in 21:35.9 in Wisconsin.

Set to surprise

San Francisco senior Marie Bouchard, a native of France, could play a significant role for the Dons after finishing in the top 30 in 6-kilometer races at both the Roy Griak Invitational and Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. Elena Burkard, Weronika Pyzik, Charlotte Taylor and Tatjana Schulte all placed in the top 16 at last year’s final and with Bouchard adding significant depth, San Francisco has the potential to provide a strong challenge for BYU after finishing only five points behind the Cougars last season.

Upward mobility

One of the most improved runners in the conference has been St. Mary’s junior Gabe Arias-Sheridan, who finished 20^th at last year’s West Coast championship meet. Arias-Sheridan won the 8-kilometer race at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational in 23:27.8 after placing fifth at the Stanford Invitational in 23:34.6, giving him a legitimate opportunity to deliver a breakthrough performance and join BYU, San Francisco and Portland among the all-conference honorees.  

Extending the Lions’ legacy

For 11 consecutive seasons, Loyola Marymount has produced at least one women’s all-conference honoree, crowning four individual champions during that stretch, and has had a student-athlete earn honorable mention accolades or better for 12 straight years, but the Lions’ streaks could be in jeopardy. Senior Kayla de Bondt, 24^th at last year’s West Coast championship meet, and junior Marisa Carino will be relied on heavily to avoid Loyola Marymount being shut out of at least a top 15 conference finish for the first time since 2003 following the graduation of last year’s runner-up Danielle Shanahan.

Patience for Pilots

After winning the men’s championship in 2014, Portland had five athletes place in the top 20 and finished second to BYU. Nick Hauger, Danny Martinez, Timo Goehler, Alex Dillard and Jeff Thies all return with valuable experience for the Pilots, in addition to the presence of talented freshman Tristan Peloquin, giving Portland optimism it can close the gap on the champion Cougars. Portland was seventh behind third-place BYU at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational after securing victories at Willamette and Roy Griak following a second-place effort at Bill Dellinger, trailing host Oregon by one point.

Home turf for Toreros

San Diego has never won a men’s or women’s conference title and isn’t expected to contend for a team championship, but two female athletes have the potential to earn all-conference honors in junior Samantha Mattice and senior Andrea Hughes. Mattice was 26^th at last year’s West Coast championship meet and Hughes finished 32^nd. Mattice was second and Hughes placed fifth in the conference preview meet – not attended by BYU, Portland or San Francisco – and both have led the Toreros in 6-kilometer races this season. Juniors Liam Burke and James Pedrotti are expected to be the top finishers for San Diego in the men’s 8-kilometer race, but will need significant improvements to contend for all-conference honors after placing 43^rd and 57^th at last year’s final.