FULL RELEASE (PDF)

OGDEN, Utah (March 22, 2018) - Both outdoor track & field squads from Northern Arizona were picked to win the Big Sky championship in this year's #BigSkyTF Preseason Coaches' Poll. NAU's women will look to three-peat as the Big Sky champs this year, while the Lumberjack men will hope to claim their 22nd Big Sky outdoor title in school history.
 
Northern Arizona's women earned a unanimous selection as the No. 1 team and will go to battle during the outdoor season with several impressive athletes. For example, the Lumberjacks return Jasmine Malone who won the 400m and claimed the bronze in the 200m at the outdoor meet just a year ago. The Big Sky's 800m gold medalist, Maggie Carruth, will also be back as well as All-American thrower Brooke Andersen.
 
NAU's men will be led by a number of high-caliber athletes, including senior sprinter Kossi Tchenawaou, who struck silver twice in both the 100m dash and 200m competitions at last year's Big Sky Outdoor Championships. Cameron Rayford also recorded a runner-up finish at last year's conference championships in the men's long jump. In fact, Rayford recently won the Big Sky title in the long jump during the 2018 indoor championships.
 
Southern Utah's men impressed on a national stage as distance runners Kasey Knevelbaard and Mike Tate each earned First-Team All-American status at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in College Station, Texas. At last year's outdoor conference meet, Knevelbaard and Tate won a combined four gold medals. The T-Birds will look to Knevelbaard and Tate to guide Southern Utah to its first-ever Big Sky Championship in track & field. SUU's men were voted to take second with 129 points.
 
Sacramento State's men were slotted third in the poll with 116 points. The defending Big Sky outdoor champions also snagged a first-place vote in the process. Andre Lindsey highlights a few returners from last year's squad as Lindsey won the 2017 outdoor gold in the 110m hurdles. 
 
The remaining teams 4-12 in the men's poll include Montana State (114), Weber State (96), Idaho (77), Eastern Washington (70), Idaho State (52), Portland State (48), Northern Colorado (37), North Dakota (30) and Montana (24).
 
On the women's side, Sacramento State was picked second in the polls this year with 129 points. The Hornets will be guided by junior Emilia Del Hoyo who scored a total of 22 points across four events to be tabbed the Big Sky Women's Most Valuable Athlete at the indoor championships.
 
Weber State enjoyed a good showing at the indoor championships and was selected third in the polls with 118 points. The Wildcats return distance runner Hailey Whetten, as well as indoor high jump champion Lindsey Johnson.
 
The women's teams rounding out 4-12 in the poll include Eastern Washington (103), Montana State (98), Southern Utah (72), North Dakota (60), Idaho (58), Northern Colorado (56), Montana (50), Portland State (26) and Idaho State (22).
 
The 2018 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be hosted by the University of Idaho from May 8-11 in Moscow, Idaho.

2018 Big Sky Conference Preseason Outdoor T&F Polls

MEN

1. Northern Arizona (11)          143

2. Southern Utah                     129

3. Sacramento State (1)          116

4. Montana State                     114

5. Weber State                         96

6. Idaho                                    77

7. Eastern Washington             70

8. Idaho State                           52

9. Portland State                      48

10. Northern Colorado              37

11. North Dakota                       30

12. Montana                              24

WOMEN

1. Northern Arizona (12)          144

2. Sacramento State                129

3. Weber State                         118

4. Eastern Washington             103

5. Montana State                      98

6. Southern Utah                      72

7. North Dakota                        60

8. Idaho                                    58

9. Northern Colorado               56

10. Montana                             50

11. Portland State                     26

12. Idaho State                         22 

 

First place votes in parenthesis