10. West Coast Conference (WCC)
2026–27 Preseason Conference
The West Coast Conference enters a new era in 2026–27 following the departures of Gonzaga and Washington State to the Pac-12. Without perennial powerhouse Gonzaga, the WCC faces the challenge of establishing a new identity, but the league still has enough quality to rank 10th nationally in the preseason KenPom conference ratings.
Santa Clara leads the way, earning a No. 12 seed in the initial OC March Madness bracket projection. The Broncos have an opportunity to emerge as the conference's new standard-bearer, although the race for the regular-season championship figures to be more competitive without Gonzaga dominating the conversation.
The WCC enters the season with an average KenPom adjusted efficiency margin of +1.12, placing it just behind the American Athletic Conference. While Santa Clara is the only team projected into the NCAA Tournament in the initial OCMM bracket, the conference has the potential to produce additional postseason contenders.
OCMM Outlook: The WCC opens the season as the nation's 10th-ranked conference, with Santa Clara projected to capture its automatic NCAA Tournament bid. The biggest question is whether the league can develop another legitimate at-large contender in the post-Gonzaga era.
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