The Big Sky Conference released the 2010 preseason poll for outdoor track and field today. Montana State's men were picked fourth by conference coaches and the women were picked fifth. 

"I think some of the lower finish on the men's side is due to the number of redshirts we will have this outdoor season," head coach Dale Kennedy said.

Montana State will redshirt a significant number of points on the men's side and the redshirt group will include distance runner Patrick Casey and javelin thrower Nick Lam, both with NCAA experience. The redshirt group also includes all-conference performers Nick Atwood (distance), Bobby Biskupiak (pole vault), David Phillips (throws) and Asa Staven (multi event).
 
Northern Arizona and Sacramento State topped both the men and women's outdoor track & field preseason coaches' poll.

 In a vote by the nine Big Sky Conference head coaches, Northern Arizona was narrowly picked to win the men's championship over Sacramento State. The Lumberjacks earned six first-place votes and 76 total points. Sacramento State earned two first-place votes and 71 total points, while Weber State finished third with 57 points with one first-place vote.

Northern Arizona enters the 2010 season searching for its fourth straight men's outdoor title. The Lumberjacks won the 2009 title with a score of 169 well ahead of runner-up Weber State at 142. Sacramento State has yet to win a men's outdoor championship. The Hornets have finishes in the top third in the last three championships, as they were runners-up in 2007 and 2008.

Montana State earned 53 total points and a fourth-place slot, followed by Eastern Washington, Idaho State, and Montana. Northern Colorado received 15 points, while Portland State collected 12 to round out the poll.   

On the women's side, Sacramento State was selected the favorite with 79 points and seven first-place votes. Northern Arizona tallied 70 points with one first-place vote to finish second, while Weber State finished third with 66 points and one first-place vote. 

Sacramento State won its second straight women's outdoor title in 2009 and it seems the coaches think the Hornets are primed to win their third. There has only been two other instances where a Big Sky women's team has won three straight outdoor titles, Northern Arizona from 2004-06 and Boise State 1984-86. Boise State's titles were awarded when the women competed in what was then titled the Mountain West Conference.

Northern Arizona is not far behind in the poll, but the Lumberjacks have not won a women's outdoor title since the 2006 season. Weber State's last women's outdoor title came in 2002, the Wildcats host the 2010 championship.

Montana, Montana State, Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Portland State and Northern Colorado rounded out the rest of the field.The 2010 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship will be held May 12-15 at Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah

* Voting is calculated by each team receiving nine points for a first place vote, eight points for a second place vote, etc. Coaches are allowed to vote for their respective teams. Below are the final results with the number of first place votes in parenthesis.

Men's Poll

Team                            Points

Northern Arizona (6)       76

Sacramento State (2)     71

Weber State (1)             57

Montana State               53

Eastern Washington      48

Idaho State                   40

Montana                       30

Northern Colorado         15

Portland State               12

            Women's Poll

Team                            Points

Sacramento State (7)     79

Northern Arizona (1)       70

Weber State (1)             66

Montana                       50

Montana State               46

Eastern Washington      32

Idaho State                   31

Portland State               21

Northern Colorado         10