PORTLAND, Ore. – Defending Big Sky Tournament champion Portland State has been chosen by the conference coaches to win the 2009 Big Sky title. The poll was released on Tuesday by the conference office and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
The Vikings received seven first-place votes and a total of 63 points to edge out last year's regular season champion, Eastern Washington. The Eagles received the other two first-place votes and finished with 58 points.
Last season, Portland State went 20-9 for its fourth-straight 20-win season and finished 11-5 in the conference to finish second. They then proceeded to capture the Big Sky Tournament title in Portland with a 3-1 victory over top-seeded Eastern Washington. That victory catapulted the Vikings to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament.
Led by third-year head coach Michael Seemann, the Vikings return six starters and 10 letterwinners from a year ago. They do lose a valuable piece in libero Jalen Pendon-Thomas, who graduated, but they welcome back senior setter Nique Fradella and senior outside hitter Marija Vojnovic.
Fradella is a two-time second-team All-Big Sky pick and her career 12.42 assists per set average is the best amongst the returning setters in the conference. She went on to earn Big Sky Tournament MVP honors after the Vikings win over Eastern Washington. Vojnovic was a first-team all-conference selection last season after leading the Vikings in kills, aces and points.
In all, the Viks have five seniors this season, the most since 1993, and brought in a stellar recruiting class of four freshmen. Also added to the roster was outside hitter Whitney Phillips, who spent her first two seasons at New Mexico State and is expected to contribute right away.
Under Seemann's guidance, the Vikings have gone 41-17 the past two seasons and also captured the 2007 Big Sky regular season championship.
Following Portland State and Eastern Washington in the poll was Northern Colorado (47), Montana (39), Weber State (35), Sacramento State (34) and Northern Arizona (22). Idaho State (18) was picked to finish eighth, while Montana State (8) was tabbed for ninth place.
Portland State's season gets under way when it travels to the MCM Elegante Classic hosted by the University of New Mexico, August 28-29. The Vikings open with a match against UC Santa Barbara on the 28th at 4:00 p.m. (PT).
2009 BIG SKY CONFERENCE COACHES POLL
| |
TEAM |
POINTS |
'08 RECORD |
'08 BSC RECORD |
| 1. |
Portland State |
63 (7) |
20-9 |
11-5 |
| 2. |
Eastern Washington |
58 (2) |
18-11 |
12-4 |
| 3. |
Northern Colorado |
47 |
17-10 |
10-6 |
| 4. |
Montana |
39 |
14-13 |
10-6 |
| 5. |
Weber State |
35 |
21-13 |
9-7 |
| 6. |
Sacramento State |
34 |
10-23 |
8-8 |
| 7. |
Northern Arizona |
22 |
15-10 |
7-9 |
| 8. |
Idaho State |
18 |
10-20 |
5-11 |
| 9. |
Montana State |
8 |
3-23 |
0-16 |
First place votes in parenthesis
