Rainbow Warriors Second In Preseason Poll; Coleman On Preseason Team

IRVINE, Calif. – The Big West announced its men's basketball preseason poll with the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors picked to finish second by the coaches. It is the highest preseason selection for UH since joining the conference in 2012-13.

The previous high was a third-place selection prior to the 2015-16 season. The Warriors went on to win both the Big West regular-season (14-2 record) and tournament titles that season and ultimately won a school-record 28 games, including an upset of Cal in the NCAA Tournament.

UC Santa Barbara (99 points) is tabbed the Big West favorite going into this season. The Gauchos garnered nine of 11 first-place votes in the coaches poll. Hawai'i received 86 points and one first-place vote. Defending regular-season champion Long Beach State earned the only other first-place votes and finished 84 points to be slotted into third.

The 'Bows return 10 players and three starters from last year's squad that finished in third place in the Big West regular-season with a 10-5 record. Among those three returning starters is leading returning scorer Noel Coleman who was named to the six-player preseason all-Big West team. The junior guard was a second-team pick last season after averaging 14.8 points per game and ranking among the league's top three-point shooters.

UH will face in-state rival UH Hilo in an exhibition game on Thursday, Nov. 3, before opening the 2022-23 regular season against Mississippi Valley State on Friday, Nov. 11 in the Outrigger Rainbow Classic.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Noel Coleman: G; 6' 2"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#4 Noel Coleman
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

Players Mentioned

#4 Noel Coleman

Players Mentioned

#4 Noel Coleman