This continues our series of daily articles previewing each men's and women's college conference. All the conference previews can be found here.

As our coverage of the 2010 college season continues, we take a look at the West Coast and Western conferences, where perennial favorites Portland and Boise State attempt to hold off a host of title challengers.

West Coast Conference

Portland has been totally dominant in recent years, winning three straight WCC titles and five of the past six – and don’t expect the Pilots, 21-2 last year, to slow down anytime soon. 2009 Coach of the Year Garrett Smith has standout seniors Sophie Schmidt, Kendra Chandhoke and Keelin Winters and junior Danielle Foxhoven returning to mount their third straight title defense.

While Santa Clara couldn’t quite compete with Portland in 2009, a Sweet 16 finish in the NCAA Tournament marked another successful season for the Broncos. Led by junior goalkeeper Bianca Henninger and sophomore midfielder Allie Vernon, Santa Clara will again challenge for the conference crown.

Junior forward Stephanie Ochs and senior midfielder Jackie Zinke give San Diego a bold attacking mentality that earned them a 5-2 conference record in 2009. If their defense can finally catch up to their offense, the Toreros could be a serious threat in 2010.

Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount finished with identical 3-3-1 conference records in 2009, and the cross-town rivals appear ready to go at it again in 2010. Pepperdine forward Michelle Spacciapolli and LMU playmaker Julie Gallaudet will lead the charge for their respective teams when the Waves and Lions clash this fall.

A disappointing 2-5 conference record in 2009 has the Gonzaga women eager to prove their worth in 2010. Senior midfielder Sheridan Jones and freshman forward Emily Hutchins are talented, but will need plenty of help to pull the Bulldogs up in a very tough conference.

San Francisco and St. Mary’s (CA)(w) tied for last place in the WCC with a combined 2-12 conference record, and a long road to respectability lies ahead. St. Mary’s sophomore Daelyn Paul and USF defender Ashley O’Brien have potential, but their supporting casts lack both the talent and experience to compete with the conference’s best.

Western Athletic Conference

After Boise State’s title-winning 2009 campaign, the Broncos enter 2010 brimming with confidence. Senior forward Shannon Saxton, junior midfielder Brandy Hickox and defender Lindsay Roberts have all the tools to justify Boise State’s high hopes.

Utah State has a shining star in 2009 Offensive Player of the Year Shantel Flanery and a standout in junior defender Chandra Salmon, but coach Heather Cairns’ teams are always stronger than the sum of their parts. Big Blue is as tight and organized as any team in the conference.

Junior defender Jessica Ingram, the 2009 Defensive POY, anchors a San Jose State team that won the 2009 regular season with a 5-1-2 conference record. The Spartans are solid, but will need to compensate for the loss of senior leaders Emmy Belding, Hallsie Pacheco and Roxy Kamal for 2010 to be a success.

Nevada will lean on junior forward Natalie Ratnavira to improve on 2009’s 10-12 overall record. Junior defender Annabelle Allen provides a stable bookend for a Wolf Pack lineup that appears ready to take the next step.

Star goalkeeper Katie Graul is gone, but New Mexico State sophomore Jazmin Cardoso gives the Aggies a fresh new face to lead the midfield. This year, the Aggies hope to get off to a fast start to erase memories of a bitter end (a four-game losing streak) to 2009.

Despite a dismal 6-13 overall record in 2009, Fresno State managed a 4-4 record in conference play and suddenly looks like a dark horse candidate in 2010. The talented young core of Molly Nizzoli, Kendall VanDine and Vanessa Gonzales gives the Bulldogs limitless potential in 2010.

Hawaii and Idaho turned in mediocre 2009 campaigns, going a combined 5-11 in conference play. All-conference performers Mari Punzal of Hawaii and Chelsea Small of Idaho give these teams a solid base, but their supporting casts leave much to be desired.

Louisiana Tech was a baffling team in 2009, a season where a respectable 12-7-1 overall record somehow translated to a 1-7 conference mark and a last-place finish in the WAC. Coach Kevin Sherry will need to push the right buttons to get his Bulldogs to perform when it counts in 2010.