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OGDEN, Utah (March 22, 2018) - Both outdoor track & field squads from Northern Arizona were picked to win the Big Sky championship in this year’s #BigSkyTF Preseason Coaches’ Poll. NAU’s women will look to three-peat as the Big Sky champs this year, while the Lumberjack men will hope to claim their 22nd Big Sky outdoor title in school history.
Northern Arizona’s women earned a unanimous selection as the No. 1 team and will go to battle during the outdoor season with several impressive athletes. For example, the Lumberjacks return Jasmine Malone who won the 400m and claimed the bronze in the 200m at the outdoor meet just a year ago. The Big Sky’s 800m gold medalist, Maggie Carruth, will also be back as well as All-American thrower Brooke Andersen.
NAU’s men will be led by a number of high-caliber athletes, including senior sprinter Kossi Tchenawaou, who struck silver twice in both the 100m dash and 200m competitions at last year’s Big Sky Outdoor Championships. Cameron Rayford also recorded a runner-up finish at last year’s conference championships in the men’s long jump. In fact, Rayford recently won the Big Sky title in the long jump during the 2018 indoor championships.
Southern Utah’s men impressed on a national stage as distance runners Kasey Knevelbaard and Mike Tate each earned First-Team All-American status at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in College Station, Texas. At last year’s outdoor conference meet, Knevelbaard and Tate won a combined four gold medals. The T-Birds will look to Knevelbaard and Tate to guide Southern Utah to its first-ever Big Sky Championship in track & field. SUU’s men were voted to take second with 129 points.
Sacramento State’s men were slotted third in the poll with 116 points. The defending Big Sky outdoor champions also snagged a first-place vote in the process. Andre Lindsey highlights a few returners from last year’s squad as Lindsey won the 2017 outdoor gold in the 110m hurdles.
The remaining teams 4-12 in the men’s poll include Montana State (114), Weber State (96), Idaho (77), Eastern Washington (70), Idaho State (52), Portland State (48), Northern Colorado (37), North Dakota (30) and Montana (24).
On the women’s side, Sacramento State was picked second in the polls this year with 129 points. The Hornets will be guided by junior Emilia Del Hoyo who scored a total of 22 points across four events to be tabbed the Big Sky Women’s Most Valuable Athlete at the indoor championships.
Weber State enjoyed a good showing at the indoor championships and was selected third in the polls with 118 points. The Wildcats return distance runner Hailey Whetten, as well as indoor high jump champion Lindsey Johnson.
The women’s teams rounding out 4-12 in the poll include Eastern Washington (103), Montana State (98), Southern Utah (72), North Dakota (60), Idaho (58), Northern Colorado (56), Montana (50), Portland State (26) and Idaho State (22).
The 2018 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be hosted by the University of Idaho from May 8-11 in Moscow, Idaho.
2018 Big Sky Conference Preseason Outdoor T&F Polls
MEN
1. Northern Arizona (11) 143
2. Southern Utah 129
3. Sacramento State (1) 116
4. Montana State 114
5. Weber State 96
6. Idaho 77
7. Eastern Washington 70
8. Idaho State 52
9. Portland State 48
10. Northern Colorado 37
11. North Dakota 30
12. Montana 24
WOMEN
1. Northern Arizona (12) 144
2. Sacramento State 129
3. Weber State 118
4. Eastern Washington 103
5. Montana State 98
6. Southern Utah 72
7. North Dakota 60
8. Idaho 58
9. Northern Colorado 56
10. Montana 50
11. Portland State 26
12. Idaho State 22
First place votes in parenthesis