WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: The Wildcats were picked fourth and sixth as the Big Sky Conference released its preseason poll results on Thursday. The Wildcats were selected fourth in the coaches poll and sixth by the media.

Portland State was a consensus first place pick, marking the first time the Vikings have been chosen to finish first in the preseason polls since joining the league in 1996-97. The polls were released on Thursday by the conference office and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Portland State received seven first-place votes in the coaches poll for a total of 63 points. The media gave the Vikings 204 points and 15 first-place votes.

Sherri Murrell and the Vikings are coming off their best season in school history. Portland State played in its first-ever championship game after earning a No. 2 seed to the Big Sky Tournament with a 14-2 conference record and a 23-10 overall mark. Although the Vikings didn*t win the championship, they did earn their first postseason berth to the Women*s National Invitational Tournament. Portland State defeated Portland in the first round.

Portland State returns 12 letterwinners this season, which is the most in the history of the program. Three starters will also be back for the Vikings, including first team all-conference honoree Claire Faucher and honorable-mention selection Kelli Valentine. Faucher, a senior guard, has been a unanimous selection to the conference's first team the past two years. She also ranked sixth in the nation in assists per game last year with 8.84. Portland State lost four time all-conference selection, and the 2008-09 Defensive Player of the Year Kelsey Kahle to graduation.

Reigning champion Montana came in second with 56 points and two first-place votes in the coaches poll, and 201 points and nine first-place nods in the media poll. The last time that Montana wasn*t favored in the preseason was in 1999, when Cal State Northridge was picked first. Montana has at least tied for the top spot in the coaches poll the past nine years.

Montana State has been picked to finish third in both polls for the second straight year. The coaches gave the Bobcats 50 total points and the media gave them 162.

Weber State is picked to finish fourth in this year's coaches poll with 30 points, and sixth in the media poll with 90 points. The Wildcats are one of only two teams in the conference that will have all five starters back heading into the 2009-10 season.