The Pacific Western Conference kicks off this weekend with four games on the docket.

Three-time defending champs and two-time defending national DIAA champs UC Davis is at Stanford in an early clash of two of the contenders. Davis had a bit of a rough go in the Storer Classic but won over Cal Maritime in last week's warmup. Head Coach Kal Incendy said the Storer tournament exposed his team's lack of conditioning, but that meant that afterward the players weren't reluctant to put in the extra fitness work. 

"Our best match was against the number one team in the country," said Incendy of his team's loss to Cal. "The rest were all poor performances." They rescued that weekend with a win on Sunday, and are getting back to in-season form. Stanford, for their part, lost to what was essentially Arizona's 2nd side. 

UC Santa Cruz, which lost to Cal last week, plays at San Francisco State, and Nevada - always a wild card - is at San Jose State. Of interest also in Fresno State at Chico State. Chico State has changed coaches and former UC Davis head man, Mike Purcell, is now running CSU.

Purcell is putting in some new things, especially in how the team practices, but, he added, "I don't know how we're going to be. We will see how guys show up for games. We're working on fundamentals and having the skills and knowledge to play what's in front of you. The majority of the kids have played in high school; we've got a good bunch of kids and about 45 or more out at practice."

Watch out for scrumhalf Isaac Raichart and flyhalf Danny Lalor, while up front Matthew Mulholland and Lance Hubbard will be crucial of Chico wants to contend. 

This conference is usually very competitive, and this year promises to be more competitive than most.