Which teams are most likely to win a championship this year?
1. Men’s Soccer
Twenty-four players return from last year’s team that made the College Cup, and there is no reason to think that they will not improve in the offseason. Expect this team to bring a soccer title home in December.
2. Men’s Basketball
Despite losing Arron Afflalo, the men’s basketball team might actually be better than it was a year ago, as Kevin Love arrives to shore up the middle and give the team a more balanced attack on offense.
3. Women’s Soccer
Jillian Ellis’ team has the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, and for a team that was already led by its youth movement, this could mean that a women’s soccer title could finally be coming to Westwood in the fall.
4. Women’s Tennis
Women’s Tennis finished just short of the national championship this year, and they are still young. There is a very good chance that this team could make a return trip to the Final Four this year.
5. Men’s Water Polo
Men’s Water Polo has experienced two consecutive disappointing years. Coach Adam Krikorian isn’t likely to let that continue. Look for the Bruins to rebound in 2007.
6. Women’s Water Polo
This team lost its senior leaders, but this is also the most dominant water polo program in the country, and it is hard to bet against Krikorian.
7. Softball
The Bruins were extremely talented this year, but also extremely inexperienced under first-year coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. If they can come together under Inouye-Perez, this team could once again be in the upper echelon of collegiate softball.
8. Baseball
The Bruins lose almost no one from a team that went to Super Regionals. They have three guys with frontline pitching talent. They have a lineup that could be one of the best in the nation. Omaha could be on the horizon.
9. Men’s Volleyball
Men’s Volleyball gets a place of honor here, but given the adjustments Al Scates made with last year’s team, which did not have a great deal of talent, they could make a run at the championship.
10. Football
It is Karl Dorrell’s fifth year. There are 20 returning starters on the team. There is a small, but talented recruiting class coming in. If not now, when?