FARMINGTON, Utah — Big Sky Conference coaches picked the Portland State women's golf team to finish sixth in the new 11-team league as the conference released its annual coaches poll Thursday.
 
The sixth-place pick comes as the Vikings enter their first year under head coach Kaylee Shimizu. She takes over a Viking program that recorded its best showing at the Big Sky tournament in five seasons. The Vikings placed fourth as a team last year while Cynthia Valerie Ong posted a top 10 finish individually behind a program record-tying 67 in the final round.
 
Ong leads a group of five returners for the Vikings off last year's team. Besides Ong, Caithlyn Ong, Maddie Dustin, Francesca Tomp and Momo Udom all return for the Vikings. The two Ongs plus Dustin represented the Vikings' top three scorers a season ago. Cynthia Valeri Ong led the team with a scoring average of 74.81, while Caithlyn Ong and Dustin followed with averages of 76.00 and 76.18, respectively.
 
Northern Arizona topped the preseason poll with eight first-place votes. Montana State and Northern Colorado finished second and third in the poll while receiving two and one first-place votes, respectively.
 
The Big Sky Conference will be an 11-team league in 2026-27 after the addition of Utah Tech and Southern Utah. The two conference newcomers were picked to finish seventh and 10th in the conference, respectively.
 
The Vikings open their 2026-27 season at Shimizu's alma mater, Utah Valley, as they play the Wolverine Invitational, Sept. 14-15, at Talons Cove Golf Club in Saratoga Springs, Utah.