OGDEN (09/30/2015)- With the Big Sky Conferences’s first-ever Basketball Media Day on the horizon, the league office announced the results of the preseason polls for women’s basketball Wednesday.

Defending Big Sky champion Montana earned first place in both the Coaches’ Poll and Media Poll. The Lady Griz received 10-of-12 first place votes in the Coaches’ Poll, while also receiving 6-of-13 first place votes in the Media Poll.

Montana’s returning players include McCaile Feller and Kayleigh Valley, who averaged a combined 22.4 points a game last season. This will be coach Robin Selvig’s 38th season coaching the Lady Griz. In that time, the program has combined for 35 winning seasons, and 21 NCAA appearances.

2013 Big Sky champion North Dakota was selected second in both polls, and received first-place votes in both the Coaches’ and Media Polls. UND went 17-15 last season, and fell to New Mexico, 54-51, in the opening round of the Women’s NIT. North Dakota’s top players include senior forward Mia Loyd, who averaged 15 points and 8.9 rebounds a game in her junior season.

Sacramento State tied with North Dakota for second in the Coaches’ Poll, but lost a tiebreaker due to UND having more first-place votes. Regardless, the Hornets return two starters from a team that advanced to the Women’s NIT for the first time in school history. Sac State also garnered a third-place finish in the Media Poll.

Northern Colorado, last year’s Big Sky tournament runner-up, took fourth in the Coaches’ Poll, and seventh in the Media Poll. The Bears finished last season 22-13, riding a ten-game win streak through conference play.

Montana State was selected fourth in the Media Poll, and fifth in the Coaches’ Poll. The Bobcats received a first-place vote in the Coaches’ Poll. MSU returns senior forward Jasmine Hommes, who averaged 16.9 points a game last season.

Idaho received a sixth place finish in the Coaches’ Poll, and an eighth place finish in the Media Poll. The Vandals finished their inaugural return year in the Big Sky Conference with a 14-15 record. Idaho led the nation last season with 31 defensive rebounds per game.

Right behind the Vandals in the Coaches’ Poll was in-state rival Idaho State, who received a seventh place spot. The Bengals received a fifth place nod in the Media Poll. Idaho State has qualified for the postseason in each of coach Seton Sobolewski’s first seven seasons. Senior guard Apiphany Woods averaged 15.5 points per game last season.

Northern Arizona, in its fourth season under coach Sue Darling, was selected eighth in the Coaches’ Poll, while taking a seventh place finish in the Media Poll. NAU qualified for the postseason last season for the first time since 2009.

Eastern Washington was selected sixth in the Media Poll, and also received two first place votes. The Eagles were selected ninth in the Coaches Poll. This will be coach Wendy Schuller’s 15th season in Cheney.

The Weber State Wildcats were selected tenth in both polls, as the Wildcats came off their most successful season in the Bethann Ord era in Ogden. Guard Regina Okoye led the nation in steals last season, with 107.

Southern Utah was selected 11th in both polls, while Portland State, under new head coach Lynn Kennedy, took the last spot in both polls. 

Each head coach in the Big Sky Conference contributed a ballot of predicted finishes for each team, but could not vote for their team. Media and sports information directors from around the conference voted on predicted finishes for the Media Poll.

The entire season will be a “Road to Reno,” as the season will culminate with the conference championships being held at the Reno Events Center from March 7-12, 2016. Every team in the conference will advance to the conference tourney under the new structure. 

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Coaches’ Poll

1. Montana (10), 120 points

2. North Dakota (1), 97 points

3. Sacramento State, 97 points

4. Northern Colorado, 84 points

5. Montana State, 81 points

6. Idaho, 67 points

7. Idaho State, 66 points

8. Northern Arizona, 55 points

9. Eastern Washington, 54 points

10. Weber State, 31 points

11. Southern Utah, 21 points

12. Portland State, 19 points

Media Poll

1. Montana (6), 148 points

2. North Dakota (3), 128 points

3. Sacramento State (2), 121 points

4. Montana State, 107 points

5. Idaho State, 98 points

6. Eastern Washington (2), 95 points

7. Northern Colorado, 86 points

8. Idaho, 69 points

9. Northern Arizona, 64 points

10. Weber State, 50 points

11. Southern Utah, 29 points

12. Portland State, 19 points 

*First-place votes are listed in parenthesis