OGDEN, Utah (Jan. 5, 2010) - The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks topped both the men and women's 2010 indoor track & field preseason coach's poll.
In a vote by the nine Big Sky Conference head coaches, Northern Arizona was narrowly picked to win the women's championship over Sacramento State and Weber State. The Lumberjacks earned five first-place votes and 76 total points. Sacramento State earned two first-place votes and 71 total points, while Weber State finished third with 70 points with two first-place votes.
Northern Arizona is looking for back-to-back championships. The 2009 Big Sky Championship was the first for the Lumberjacks since 2006. Sacramento State won the women's 2008 Big Sky indoor championship, it was the program's first conference indoor track & field title. The Weber State women won four-straight conference titles from 2002 to 2005, but have yet to take home the championship trophy since.
Idaho State earned 45 total points and a fourth-place slot, followed by Montana State, Eastern Washington, Montana, Northern Colorado, and Portland State.
The Lumberjacks are also expected to win the men's 2010 title, as the coaches awarded them with 78 points and six first-place votes. In 2009 the Lumberjacks won their first men's indoor title since 2003. Weber State followed in the poll with 69 points and two first-place votes. The Wildcats finished the 2009 championship in fourth-place, just behind Eastern Washington.
Idaho State received 53 points to place in the top three without receiving a first-place vote. Sacramento State was the recipient of that final first-place vote and finished fourth with 52 points.
Eastern Washington, Montana State, Montana, Northern Colorado, and Portland State rounded out the rest of the field.
Voting is calculated by each team receiving nine points for a first place vote, eight points for a second place vote, etc. Coaches vote for their respective teams. Below are the final results with the number of first place votes in parenthesis.
Men's Poll
Northern Arizona (6) 78
Weber State (2) 69
Idaho State 53
Sacramento State (1) 52
Eastern Washington 47
Montana State 45
Montana 31
Northern Colorado 15
Portland State 15
Women's Poll
Northern Arizona (5) 76
Sacramento State (2) 71
Weber State (2) 67
Idaho State 45
Montana State 44
Eastern Washington 36
Montana 32
Northern Colorado 19
Portland State 15
