The Big West’s California-based coaches were unanimous in voting Hawaii the favorite in the conference’s men’s volleyball race.

The two-time defending national champion Rainbow Warriors received all five first-place votes from opposing head coaches to top the Big West preseason poll released on Wednesday and placed three returnees on the conference’s inaugural preseason team.

UH had 25 points in the poll and Long Beach State — which won last season’s BWC regular-season title before falling to UH in the Big West and NCAA tournament finals — placed second with 19 points. UC Irvine, which drew the final first-place vote, was third with 17 points followed by UC Santa Barbara (13), Cal State Northridge (10) and UC San Diego (six).

Setter Jakob Thelle, last season’s Big West player of the year, and the Greek combo of pin hitters Spyros Chakas and Dimitrios Mouchlias were voted to the conference’s preseason team. UCSB outside hitter Ryan Wilcox, a Punahou graduate, also made the team along with UC Irvine outside hitters Hilir Henno and Francesco Sani and Long Beach State libero Mason Briggs.

Thelle, Chakas and Mouchlias headline a UH lineup that also returns starters in outside hitter Chaz Galloway, middle blockers Guilherme Voss and Cole Hogland and libero Brett Sheward off of last season’s 27-5 team.

Long Beach State also returns nearly intact led by Briggs, outside hitters Clarke Godbold and Spencer Olivier and setter Aidan Knipe. Significantly absent is Alex Nikolov, last season’s AVCA National Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, who turned pro during the summer.

UH opens the season with a two-match series with Ball State on Jan. 12 and 13 at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

The Warriors rallied past the Cardinals in five sets in last season’s national semifinals.

They open Big West play at home against Long Beach State on March 17 and 18. The Big West tournament, which determines the conference’s automatic bid to the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship, is set for April 20-22 at UC Irvine.

The NCAA championship will be hosted by George Mason on May 4-6 in Fairfax, Va.