FARMINGTON, Utah — A preseason MVP award shows you have the respect of your conference. Esmeralda Morales has that respect as the junior guard became the first Portland State women's basketball player to be named Preseason MVP within the Big Sky Conference since the first year of the award in 2015.
 
Morales headlines a preseason All-Big Sky team, released Thursday, that includes Carmen Gfeller from Montana, Jamie Loera and Jaydia Martin from Eastern Washington, Daryn Hickok from Weber State, and Hannah Simental from Northern Colorado.

"Esme is one of the hardest working players I've been around. She puts in the time and deserves the recognition," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said of Morales. "She's a great teammate and is always looking for ways to grow her game.

"She understands we haven't done anything yet though. Gotta continue to grind."

Morales was an All-Big Sky second-team selection last season after ranking fourth in the Big Sky with 15.8 points per game. Morales ranked in the top 15 of the Big Sky in nine different statistical categories last season. Besides scoring, Morales ranked fifth in field goal percentage (.422), 10th in assists per game (3.03), 10th in free throw percentage (.788), second in steals per game (1.97), second in three-point field goal percentage (.421), second in three-pointers made per game (2.48), seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.27) and first in minutes played per game (36.9).
 
Morales' 77 three-pointers last season ranked fourth on the single-season list at Portland State. Additionally, her 42.1 percent shooting from three-point range ranked seventh on the single-season list. She scored 10+ points in 25 of the team's 31 games last season, and scored 20+ in 10 games.
 
Morales saved some of her best games for the end of the season when she led the Vikings to their first semifinal appearance at the Big Sky tournament since 2019. Morales, who was named to the conference's all-tournament team afterwards, set a Big Sky tournament single-game program record with 28 points in the Vikings' 77-65 upset win over second-seeded Montana State in the quarterfinals.

Other highlights from last season included a game-winning three-pointer with 1.9 seconds remaining against Weber State on Jan. 19. She also hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 25.0 seconds left in overtime of the Vikings' 74-72 win over Montana on Feb. 23. Her 28 points against Montana State in the Big Sky quarterfinals tied her season high. She also scored 28 points against Eastern Washington on Jan. 5 and Northern Arizona on Jan. 12. Her 28 points against NAU came on the road as the Vikings handed one of the eventual co-regular-season champions of the Big Sky a 78-66 loss. Morales shot 10-of-15 from the floor against the Lumberjacks, including 5-of-9 from three-point range.
 
Big Sky coaches and media picked Morales and the Vikings to finish fifth in the conference in their respective preseason polls released Wednesday.
 
Morales and the Vikings open their season on the road as they'll play at UC Davis on Nov. 9 and at San Diego on Nov. 11. The Vikings return to Viking Pavilion for their home opener on Nov. 14 when they host Warner Pacific at 6 p.m.
 
Big Sky play opens on Dec. 28 when the Vikings will host one of the preseason favorites, Eastern Washington, at 6 p.m. at Viking Pavilion. Tickets for all Portland State women's basketball games can be purchased at the PSU Box Office website.

2023-24 Preseason All-Big Sky Team
Esmeralda Morales, Portland State (MVP)
Carmen Gfeller, Montana
Jamie Loera, Eastern Washington
Jaydia Martin, Eastern Washington
Daryn Hickok, Weber State
Hannah Simental, Northern Colorado