Big Sky Release

OGDEN, Utah — The Portland State women's and men's track and field teams were picked to finish fifth and ninth, respectively, this outdoor season, as the Big Sky Conference released its annual preseason coaches poll Wednesday.
 
The conference coaches picked Northern Arizona to sweep the outdoor Big Sky titles this season, and unanimously picked the NAU men. The Lumberjack men received all 11 first-place votes in the poll to finish with 121 points, well ahead of second-place Sacramento State (104 points) and third-place Montana (88 points).
 
The Lumberjack women, meanwhile, received 116 points and seven-first place votes to make them the conference favorites on the women's side. Sacramento State picked up the other four first-place votes to finish second with 104 points, while Montana and Weber State tied for third with 94 points each.
 
The Portland State women received 76 points in the poll in placing fifth, while the PSU men received 37 points in placing ninth.
 
The Portland State women recorded their highest finish at the Big Sky outdoor meet since 2006 last season, when they placed second with 110 total points. The Vikings lost Joenisha Vinson and Geronne Black, who were seniors last season and combined for at least a share of 47 of the team's points at the meet, but had two freshmen earn All-Big Sky honors during the 2014 indoor season in Baileh Simms (second in the long jump) and Whitney Diggs (third in the 400 meters). The Vikings will also have junior Jazmin Ratcliff competing this outdoor season, after she broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles and earned two All-Big Sky honors during the 2014 indoor season.
 
The Viking women placed sixth in the Big Sky with 57 points at the 2014 indoor meet, while the PSU men recorded their best finish at the indoor meet since 2005 with an eighth-place finish and 39 total points.
 
The Viking men had two players win Big Sky titles during the 2014 indoor season, and earned three All-Big Sky honors overall. Freshman Gifton Okoronkwo and sophomore Sheldon Prince won Big Sky titles in the triple jump and 400 meters, respectively, while sophomore Michael Kubisiak earned All-Big Sky honors with a third-place finish in the 60 meters.
 
The Portland State men and women open the 2014 outdoor season at the Oregon Preview on Saturday, March 22.

Men's Poll		Women's Poll
Team	Points	Team	Points
1. Northern Arizona	121 (11)	1. Northern Arizona	116 (7)
2. Sacramento State	104	2. Sacramento State	104 (4)
3. Montana	88	T-3. Montana	94
4. Weber State	80	T-3. Weber State	94
5. Montana State	78	5. Portland State	76
6. Southern Utah	74	6. Southern Utah	68
7. Eastern Washington	64	7. Montana State	55
8. Idaho State	41	8. Eastern Washington	46
9. Portland State	37	9. Idaho State	30
10. North Dakota	23	10. Northern Colorado	25
11. Northern Colorado	16	11. North Dakota	18
(First-place Votes)