OGDEN, Utah – Northern Arizona women's basketball was picked seventh in the preseason coaches' and media polls released by the Big Sky Conference on Thursday.  NAU finished a point behind Idaho State and Sacramento State in the coaches' poll with 26 points.  The Lumberjacks earned 66 points in the media poll.

NAU will look to build around the 2009-10 Freshman of the Year Amy Patton. Patton finished the season as the league's top rebounder with 8.6 per game and was second in scoring at 18.6 per game.  During the season the Tempe, Ariz., product posted four 30-point games, including a league season high 35 against Sacramento State. The freshman also tallied 13 double-doubles, more than double any other player in the conference.

A year ago, NAU produced the league's Big Sky Freshman of the Year, Patton, and Newcomer of the Year, Vickie Toney.  Both return this season along with seven other letterwinners and the No. 53 ranked recruiting class in the country produced by ESPN HoopGurlz.  The Lumberjacks were the only Big Sky Conference team to earn a ranking.

Montana was selected first in both polls placing at least tied for the top spot in the coaches' poll for nine straight seasons until Portland State replaced them in the polls last year. The results of the polls were released by the conference office; coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Montana received five first-place votes in the coaches' poll for a total of 61 points. The media gave the Lady Griz 171 points and 12 first-place votes.  In the 2009-10 season the Lady Griz made their 22nd straight appearance in the Big Sky tournament, but lost to eventual champion Portland State in the semifinal 62-47.

The reigning regular-season champion Eastern Washington Eagles came in second with 53 points and two first-place votes in the coaches' poll, and 159 points and six first-place nods in the media poll. The Eagles finished the 2009-10 campaign with a 19-11 overall record and 12-4 in league play. Eastern Washington's regular season title was a first in program history.

Portland State finished third in both polls. The coaches gave the Vikings 52 total points with one first-place vote, while the media gave them 150 points. The Vikings became the first No. 5 seed to win the Big Sky tournament last season. They were the 2009-10 preseason favorite by the coaches and media, but entered the tournament needing three victories. Portland State beat Idaho State, No.2 seed Montana and No. 6 seed Montana State en route to its first ever Big Sky postseason title. The Vikings lost to No. 2 seed Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Both the coaches and the media picked a fourth-place finish for Montana State. The coaches awarded the Bobcats 48 points and one first-place vote, and the media gave the Bobcats 132 points. The Bobcats are coming off a run to the Big Sky tournament championship game, where they lost to Portland State.

Idaho State and Sacramento State finished with a point total of 26 points from the coaches. The Hornets received 102 from the media and three first-place votes, while the Bengals garnered 84 points. Both teams were 2009-10 Big Sky tournament participants and both lost in the first round.

The coaches picked Northern Colorado to finish eighth with 18 points and Weber State to finish ninth with 15 points. In the media poll the Bears received 48 points, while the Wildcats collected 33.

The 2010-11 basketball season starts on Nov. 12 and the conference season begins on Jan. 6. The Big Sky Women's Basketball Championship is slated for March 10-12 and will be hosted by the regular-season champion.

NAU plays an exhibition game at home against Western New Mexico on Nov. 6 and its first regular season game on Nov. 12 at Arizona State. 

Coaches' Poll

Media Poll

DID YOU KNOW…The Northern Arizona University athletics department recorded its highest cumulative grade point average since 1997, recording a 3.16 GPA among its more than 300 student-athletes at the completion 2009 fall semester.