Northern Arizona Women Picked to Win #BigSkyTennis in 2019
OGDEN, Utah (January 8, 2019) – Returning its entire lineup from the 2018 season, Northern Arizona topped the 2019 Big Sky Conference Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches. Coaches could not vote for their own team.
Northern Arizona received eight first-place votes while totaling 98 points to be named the preseason favorite. The Lumberjacks have claimed at least a share of the Big Sky regular season title the last three seasons including 11-0 conference records in 2017 and 2018.
Junior Chiara Tomasetti posted a 17-5 record at No. 1 and 2 singles last season for NAU and is currently ranked 75th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) singles rankings. An All-Big Sky First Team selection in 2018, Tomasetti is joined by returning seniors Eirene Granville and Hanneke Lodewijks, and sophomores Cora-Lynn Von Dungern, Madi Moore and Ellie Millard from last season’s lineup. Lodewijks was also an All-Big Sky First Team honoree last season.
Idaho comes in second in the preseason poll, receiving the remaining three first-place votes and 93 points after a 10-1 record and second-place finish in the Big Sky in 2018. The Vandals return all but one player off last season’s lineup headlined by three-time Big Sky MVP Mariana Petrei. Idaho has claimed the last four Big Sky Championships, finishing at least third in the regular season in each of those years. Senior Maria Tavares, a 2018 All-Big Sky First Team selection, along with juniors Shion Watabe and Maggie Chen, and sophomores Laura Spataro and Marta Magalhaes return from the 2018 lineup.
Sacramento State came in third in the poll with 78 points while Eastern Washington followed closely behind with 71 points. The Hornets finished third in the league last season at 9-2 while Eastern Washington tied for fourth with a 6-5 record and had an appearance in the Big Sky Quarterfinals.
Weber State totaled 60 points to come in fifth while Idaho State was sixth with 57 points and Southern Utah seventh with 47. Weber State and Southern Utah were both semifinalists in the 2018 Big Sky Championship.
Rounding out the poll was Montana (37), Montana State (34), Northern Colorado (18) and Portland State (12).
The 2019 dual season opens up Saturday with Idaho and Eastern Washington each taking on Washington State in Pullman, Wash.
| 2019 Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Team |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. Northern Arizona |
98 (8) |
| 2. Idaho |
93 (3) |
| 3. Sacramento State |
78 |
| 4. Eastern Washington |
71 |
| 5. Weber State |
60 |
| 6. Idaho State |
57 |
| 7. Southern Utah |
47 |
| 8. Montana |
37 |
| 9. Montana State |
34 |
| 10. Northern Colorado |
18 |
| 11. Portland State |
12 |