Sophie Glancey Named Big Sky Preseason MVP as NAU is Selected First in Both the Media and Coaches’ Polls

FARMINGTON, Utah (Oct. 23, 2024) – The 2024-25 college basketball season is still over a week away, but the Northern Arizona women's basketball team is already raking in accolades.
 
Sophie Glancey was tabbed as the Big Sky's Preseason MVP and was joined by Leia Beattie on the Preseason All-Conference team. Additionally, the Lumberjacks were predicted to finish first in both the coaches' and the media polls.
 
Glancey is the second Preseason MVP in program history behind Khiarica Rasheed who earned the honor prior to the start of the 2020-21 season. It is also the first time Northern Arizona has been picked first in both polls, as it was selected first by the media and second by the coaches last season. The results to both polls and the preseason team can be found below. 
 
Last season as a sophomore, Glancey earned unanimous first team All-Big Sky honors and was named to the Big Sky All-Tournament team along with winning three Big Sky Player of the Week awards. She started and played in all 35 games and averaged 15.7 points per contest, scoring 550 total points which ranks second in single-season history at NAU. Glancey led the Big Sky in field goal percentage, draining 53.4 percent (221-414) from the field which ranks eighth in single-season season history.
 
The Boise, Idaho, native scored in double figures 28 times, scoring over 20 points in 11 games and tying her career-high 30 points on three different occasions. Outside of the scoring column, Glancey led the team with 7.3 rebounds per game and her 257 total boards is third in NAU single-season history. She had six double-doubles on the year, three of which came consecutively.
 
Also on the defensive front, Glancey had at least two blocks in 11 games to total 44 – a mark that is sixth in single-season history. She was lethal behind the arc, draining 51.7 percent (15-29) from three-point range.
 
Entering 2024-25, Glancey is 181 points from 1,000 and 94 rebounds away from 500 in her career. She needs just 291 points, 209 rebounds and 20 blocks to crack NAU's career top ten in all three categories prior to her junior season.
 
Beattie is entering her second season at Northern Arizona after transferring in from Montana State where she was named the league's Top-Reserve and earned honorable mention honors after the 2022-23 season. Her first year as a Lumberjack saw her be named to the All-Big Sky second team and earn a spot on the Big Sky All-Tournament team.
 
The Midland, Texas, native played in all 35 games with 34 starts a season ago. She scored in double figures 22 times, scoring 415 total points to average 11.9 per game. Beattie led the 'Jacks with 79 three-pointers made, a mark that ranks second in NAU single-season history. Her percentage (41.6, 79-190) is tied for fourth while her attempts rank seventh. She made at least three triples in 14 games including a career-best six in a win at Sacramento State.
 
Beattie dropped a career-high 27 points at Portland State and turned in consecutive double-doubles at Montana and Montana State. She also added 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, shooting 43.4 percent (145-334) from the field and 82.1 percent (46-56) from the free throw line.
 
In the polls, the Lumberjacks received seven first place votes and 79 overall by the coaches, who cannot vote for their own teams. Montana State received three first place votes and 73 overall and were followed by Montana with 66 votes.
 
In the media poll, NAU had 16 first place votes and 246 total to edge the Bobcats who had five first place votes and 227 total points. The Griz were picked third by the media as well with three first place votes and 217 points. Eastern Washington, the defending Big Sky regular season and tournament champions, earned a first-place vote by the media but were selected to finish seventh.
 
The 2023-24 Northern Arizona women's basketball squad put together one of the best seasons in program history. The Lumberjacks set a single-season win record with 25 victories and matched their best-ever Big Sky record at 15-3, finishing second in the league standings. Northern Arizona advanced to its third-straight championship game and earned a WNIT berth for the second-straight season, earning a first-round bye. NAU boasted a unanimous first-team All-Big Sky selection in Glancey who led the league in scoring and field goal percentage, earning Player of the Week honors three times. Beattie was named to the second team, and both Emily Rodabaugh and Olivia Moran were recognized with honorable mention nods.
 
Behind head coach Loree Payne, who is now the program's all-time leader in conference victories and ranks second overall, the Lumberjacks led the league in scoring with over 75 points per game. Additionally, NAU was ranked in the mid-major poll for the first time in program history and three different players collected five Big Sky Player of the Week awards.
 
The 2024-25 squad returns three starters and 11 total players. The Lumberjacks only lost Grace Beasley and Rodabaugh to graduation and did not lose any players to the transfer portal. During the offseason, NAU welcomed true freshman Faith Curry and CSUN transfer, Talo Li-Uperesa. Payne will enter her eighth season at the helm just nine wins away from becoming NAU's all-time leader in career wins.
 
Northern Arizona officially opens the season on Monday, Nov. 4 at New Mexico at 11 a.m. Mountain Standard time. The home opener against Fort Lewis is set for Monday, Nov. 11 at 4 p.m.

2024-25 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Northern Arizona (7) – 79
2. Montana State (3) – 73
3. Montana – 66
4. Sacramento State – 48
5. Northern Colorado - 47
6. Idaho State - 44
7. Idaho - 36
8. Eastern Washington - 28
9. Portland State - 15
10. Weber State - 14

 
2024-25 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll

1. Northern Arizona (16) – 246
2. Montana State (5) – 227
3. Montana (3) – 217
4. Idaho State – 143
5. Northern Colorado - 136
6. Sacramento State - 135
7. Eastern Washington (1) - 132
8. Idaho - 102
9. Weber State - 55
10. Portland State - 37 

 
2024-25 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team 
Sophie Glancey, Northern Arizona (MVP)
Esmeralda Morales, Montana State
Benthe Versteeg, Sacramento State
Dani Bartsch, Montana
Leia Beattie, Northern Arizona
Marah Dykstra, Montana State