I submitted my ballot in the Big Sky women's pre-season poll and here's who I voted where and why:
1. North Dakota: Defending champs lose MVP Madi Buck, but still return plenty of talent, including tournament MVP Mia Lloyd, PG Kelsey Knox, the conference newcomer of the year, and 6-5 Emily Evers and 6-1 Megan Lauck.
2. Montana: There are a couple of givens every year: Robin Selvig will have a competitive team in Missoula, and the Griz will be almost impossible to beat at home (10-0 in the conference last year). Leading scorer Kellie Cole returns at guard, and the Griz have their usual tall and imposing front line with 6-2 Carly Selvig, 6-0 Maggie Rickman and 6-3 Alycia Sims upfront.
3. Eastern Washington: The Eagles return probably the best guard line in the league in Lexie Nelson and Hayley Hodgins, who averaged over 29 points a game between them, and PG Jade Redmon, who led the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio. If they get solid play upfront, they could contend for the league title.
4. Idaho: former Bengal coach Jon Newlee returns to his Big Sky roots with four starters back from a two-time defending WAC championship team. Guard Stacey Barr averaged 18 points a game and racked up 93 assists as the WAC MVP, and forward Ali Forde averaged almost 10 points and 8 boards a game. Newlee's foreign legion features players from Bosnia (6-5 Nejra Solo), Australia, Norway and Spain -- and a lot of size across the roster.
5. Northern Colorado: This may be a bit of stretch given the Bears will be breaking in new coach Kamie Ethridge, but they still have plenty of talent, led by the return of D'Shara Strange, one of the best defenders in the league, who redshirted last year. Stephanie Lee is a blocked shot looking to happen at center while averaging 19 ppg on the offensive end, and Jamie Derrieux, Lindsay Mallon and Kyleigh Hiser were all significant contributors last year.
6. Sacramento State: The team with the best named coach (Bunky Harkleroad) and PG (Fantasia Hilliard) in the league will continue their run and gun ways. Last year, the Hornets broke the NCAA single-season record for three pointers made and attempted, and broke schools records for points and scoring average. Hilliard is one of the best point guards in the league, and Takara Burse, Hallie Gennett and Andrea Chenier all had productive seasons for a team that often goes 10 deep.
7. Northern Arizona: The Axers lose Amanda Frost, the conference's leading scorer last year, but still return three double-figure scorers in Raven Anderson, Erikka Banks and Brittani Lusain.
8. Idaho State: Under normal circumstances, I would have voted this Bengal group at or near the bottom of the league. The Bengals return only one proven scorer in Rebecca Schrimpsher, they'll be playing a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, and, other than Seton Sobolewski, they have an entirely new coaching staff.
Call it faith in Seton if you like, but he always seems to develop previously-unnoticed upperclassmen (candidates this year include Jas Lemon and Anna Lee Policicchio), his teams always play tough defense, and they usually defend home court. So I'm going out on a limb with the Bengals and say they make the post-season tournament for a 12th straight season.
9. Montana State: The Bobcats have a nice backcourt in seniors Ausha Cole and Kalli Durham, some experience upfront in Jackie Elliot and Jas Hommes and enough talent to get into the 8-team post-season tournament. But they will have to overcome their decidedly mediocre history under coach Tricia Binford (135-134, including 15-15 last season).
10. Southern Utah: The T-birds were the one of the big surprises in the conference last year, going 15-5 in league play and ranking 38th in the country in rebounding margin (+5.6) and 35 in scoring (almost 70 ppg). But they lost coach JR Payne in the off-season (replaced by Chris Boettcher, who comes in from coaching a professional team in Japan), and Lori Parkinson and Carli Moreland, two of their better all-around players. They do return leading scorer Hailey Mandelko and guard Marquelle Funk.
11. Weber State: The Wildcats broke their two-season-long conference losing streak last year, finishing 3-17 in Big Sky play, and 7-22 overall. It was enough to preserve Coach Bethann Ord's job, in spite of her 9-78 record as Wildcat coach. Guard Regina Okoye (12 ppg) and forward Jalen Carpenter (8.7 ppg, 5.7 reb) are the leading returners, but the Wildcats lose their two top scorers in Amanda Hughes and Desiree Ramos. Could be another long winter in Ogden.
12. Portland State: It's really strange how the PSU women's program has nose-dived over the last three seasons. The Vikings have gone from a tie for first in 2010-2011 to sixth, ninth and tenth the last three years under Sherri Murell. This may be her do-or-die season, but PSU returns only two starters from last year's 8-21 team, so if there is going to be any improvement, it will have to come from newcomers.
1. North Dakota: Defending champs lose MVP Madi Buck, but still return plenty of talent, including tournament MVP Mia Lloyd, PG Kelsey Knox, the conference newcomer of the year, and 6-5 Emily Evers and 6-1 Megan Lauck.
2. Montana: There are a couple of givens every year: Robin Selvig will have a competitive team in Missoula, and the Griz will be almost impossible to beat at home (10-0 in the conference last year). Leading scorer Kellie Cole returns at guard, and the Griz have their usual tall and imposing front line with 6-2 Carly Selvig, 6-0 Maggie Rickman and 6-3 Alycia Sims upfront.
3. Eastern Washington: The Eagles return probably the best guard line in the league in Lexie Nelson and Hayley Hodgins, who averaged over 29 points a game between them, and PG Jade Redmon, who led the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio. If they get solid play upfront, they could contend for the league title.
4. Idaho: former Bengal coach Jon Newlee returns to his Big Sky roots with four starters back from a two-time defending WAC championship team. Guard Stacey Barr averaged 18 points a game and racked up 93 assists as the WAC MVP, and forward Ali Forde averaged almost 10 points and 8 boards a game. Newlee's foreign legion features players from Bosnia (6-5 Nejra Solo), Australia, Norway and Spain -- and a lot of size across the roster.
5. Northern Colorado: This may be a bit of stretch given the Bears will be breaking in new coach Kamie Ethridge, but they still have plenty of talent, led by the return of D'Shara Strange, one of the best defenders in the league, who redshirted last year. Stephanie Lee is a blocked shot looking to happen at center while averaging 19 ppg on the offensive end, and Jamie Derrieux, Lindsay Mallon and Kyleigh Hiser were all significant contributors last year.
6. Sacramento State: The team with the best named coach (Bunky Harkleroad) and PG (Fantasia Hilliard) in the league will continue their run and gun ways. Last year, the Hornets broke the NCAA single-season record for three pointers made and attempted, and broke schools records for points and scoring average. Hilliard is one of the best point guards in the league, and Takara Burse, Hallie Gennett and Andrea Chenier all had productive seasons for a team that often goes 10 deep.
7. Northern Arizona: The Axers lose Amanda Frost, the conference's leading scorer last year, but still return three double-figure scorers in Raven Anderson, Erikka Banks and Brittani Lusain.
8. Idaho State: Under normal circumstances, I would have voted this Bengal group at or near the bottom of the league. The Bengals return only one proven scorer in Rebecca Schrimpsher, they'll be playing a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, and, other than Seton Sobolewski, they have an entirely new coaching staff.
Call it faith in Seton if you like, but he always seems to develop previously-unnoticed upperclassmen (candidates this year include Jas Lemon and Anna Lee Policicchio), his teams always play tough defense, and they usually defend home court. So I'm going out on a limb with the Bengals and say they make the post-season tournament for a 12th straight season.
9. Montana State: The Bobcats have a nice backcourt in seniors Ausha Cole and Kalli Durham, some experience upfront in Jackie Elliot and Jas Hommes and enough talent to get into the 8-team post-season tournament. But they will have to overcome their decidedly mediocre history under coach Tricia Binford (135-134, including 15-15 last season).
10. Southern Utah: The T-birds were the one of the big surprises in the conference last year, going 15-5 in league play and ranking 38th in the country in rebounding margin (+5.6) and 35 in scoring (almost 70 ppg). But they lost coach JR Payne in the off-season (replaced by Chris Boettcher, who comes in from coaching a professional team in Japan), and Lori Parkinson and Carli Moreland, two of their better all-around players. They do return leading scorer Hailey Mandelko and guard Marquelle Funk.
11. Weber State: The Wildcats broke their two-season-long conference losing streak last year, finishing 3-17 in Big Sky play, and 7-22 overall. It was enough to preserve Coach Bethann Ord's job, in spite of her 9-78 record as Wildcat coach. Guard Regina Okoye (12 ppg) and forward Jalen Carpenter (8.7 ppg, 5.7 reb) are the leading returners, but the Wildcats lose their two top scorers in Amanda Hughes and Desiree Ramos. Could be another long winter in Ogden.
12. Portland State: It's really strange how the PSU women's program has nose-dived over the last three seasons. The Vikings have gone from a tie for first in 2010-2011 to sixth, ninth and tenth the last three years under Sherri Murell. This may be her do-or-die season, but PSU returns only two starters from last year's 8-21 team, so if there is going to be any improvement, it will have to come from newcomers.