FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 1, 2025) – After months of preparation, the 2025-26 season is here as four women's basketball teams will kick off the campaign on Monday night.
Big Sky Women's Basketball Weekly Notes (Week 1)
Montana State Sweeps Preseason Polls
After a 30-win campaign a season ago, the Bobcats begin their title defense as preseason favorites of both the Coaches' Poll and Media Poll leading up to the 2025-26 Women's Basketball season, the conference office announced.
The Bobcats received five first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and 11 in the media poll compared to Montana three first-place votes in the coaches' poll and seven in the media poll. Idaho and Idaho State gathered the final two first place votes in the coaches poll.
Montana State finished its last campaign with a 30-4 overall record, the first Big Sky team to reach the 30-win mark, and a 17-1 mark in Big Sky action. The Bobcats swept the Big Sky titles, earning their eight regular season crown and its fourth tournament title. The season came to a close in Columbus where the Bobcats faced the Buckeyes of Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
2025-26 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1: Montana State (5) – 74
2: Montana (3) – 72
3: Idaho (1) – 65
4: Idaho State (1) – 57
5: Sacramento State – 50
6: Eastern Washington – 38
7: Northern Colorado – 36
8: Weber State – 28
T9: Northern Arizona – 15
T9: Portland State – 15
() – Denotes First-Place Votes
2025-26 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1: Montana State (11) – 238
2: Montana (7) – 224
3: Idaho (7) – 220
4: Sacramento State (2) – 177
5: Idaho State – 161
6: Eastern Washington – 123
7: Weber State – 120
8: Northern Arizona – 102
9: Northern Colorado – 86
10: Portland State – 34
() – Denotes First-Place Votes
Versteeg Headlines Inaugural Preseason All-Conference Team
The 2025-26 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason Team has been revealed, the conference office announced. Sacramento State's Benthe Versteeg highlights the team, earning Preseason MVP honors.
Versteeg represents one of five schools through the six-member Preseason All-Conference Team.
Versteeg enters her redshirt senior season as one of the league's most impactful returners, collecting All-Big Sky First team honors a season ago. In her 2024-25 campaign, she led the conference in assists with 208, nearly 40 more than anyone else in the conference. The Hornet also ranked Top-10 in the conference in scoring (10th), total points (8th), field goals made (7th), assist-to-turnover ratio (7th), steals (8th) and minutes (2nd). Her defensive efforts have earned her a spot on the Big Sky All-Defensive team twice in as many years.
The Lady Griz of Montana are the only school represented on the Preseason All-Conference team twice in Mack Konig and Avery Waddington. The Lady Griz duo led the squad a season ago as the two highest-point scorers on the team, both averaging 10+ points per game. Montana enters the first full season of the Nate Harris era, who led the team to a championship appearance in Boise to close out the 2024-25 season.
2025-26 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Benthe Versteeg, Sacramento State (Preseason Most Valuable Player)
Mack Konig, Montana
Taylee Chirrick, Montana State
Kourtney Grossman, Eastern Washington
Avery Waddington, Montana
Hope Hassmann, Idaho
Starch Madness
The 2026 Big Sky Basketball Championships in Boise, Idaho will take place from March 7-11 inside Idaho Central Arena. Visit
StarchMadness.com for more details.
2025 Big Sky Women's Basketball Schedule (Week 1)
Monday, Nov. 3
Idaho at Washington State // 12:00 p.m. MT
Northwest at Eastern Washington // 7:00 p.m. MT
Stanton at Sacramento State // 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at New Mexico // 7:00 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Westminster at Idaho State // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Weber State at Colorado State // 6:00 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Northern New Mexico at Northern Colorado // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Seattle Pacific at Montana // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Carroll at Montana State // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Portland State at Hawaii // 10:00 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Thursday, Nov. 6
Nevada at Sacramento State // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Friday, Nov. 7
Idaho at UC Davis // 12:00 p.m. MT
Montana State at Portland // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Saturday, Nov. 8
Lamar at Northern Colorado // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Eastern Washington at Arizona State // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at Utah Tech // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Westminster at Weber State // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana at Oregon // 3:00 p.m. MT (B1G+)
Idaho State at Grand Canyon // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Sunday, Nov. 9
Walla Walla at Idaho // 3:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Sacramento State at Cal // 8:00 p.m. MT (ACCNX)
Monday, Nov. 10
Minot State at Montana State // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana at Washington // 7:00 p.m. MT (B1G+)
Tuesday, Nov. 11
Bethany College at Northern Colorado // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Embry-Riddle at Northern Arizona // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Williamette at Portland State // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
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