The Big Sky Conference released the results of its preseason media and coaches polls Wednesday with the 2022-23 college basketball regular season just 12 days away.

Weber State men’s basketball was voted fourth in both polls. The women’s team was voted seventh by coaches and ninth by media voters. In the calculation of polls for each sport, which are posted at the end of this story, the WSU men are fourth and the women seventh.

Both defending champion teams at Montana State were overwhelmingly voted first in each poll.

The Weber State men return five players from last season’s team that went 21-12 overall and 13-7 in the Big Sky, losing to Montana State in the Big Sky tournament semifinals. Senior guard Zahir Porter and third-year forward Dillon Jones lead that group of returners, along with experienced guard KJ Cunningham and big man Alex Tew.

The Wildcats brought in four Division I transfers: senior grad transfer guard Junior Ballard (Fresno State), junior guard Steven Verplancken Jr. (Southern Illinois), sophomore guard Keith Dinwiddie Jr. (San Diego State) and freshman center Handje Tamba (Tennessee).

Four freshmen join the fray: three-star wing Chris Dockery, long point guard JJ Louden, sharpshooting British forward Louie Jordan and old-school post player Daniel Rouzan.

The WSU men first play Wednesday, Nov. 2, in an exhibition with Adams State at the Dee Events Center. Admission to the exhibition will be free to the public. The Wildcats open the regular season Monday, Nov. 7, at Washington.

After 16 seasons as an assistant coach, Eric Duft is at the helm for his first year as head coach.

The Weber State women’s team took big strides last season on the way to an 11-20 overall record, including a 6-14 mark in the Big Sky and a first-round tournament upset win over Sacramento State.

The Wildcat women return 12 players from that squad, led by senior forwards Daryn Hickok, Jadyn Matthews and Emma Torbert. Wing players Laura Taylor and Ava Williams, who joined the team as transfers last season, are also seniors.

Sophomore guard and UNLV transfer Taylin Smith joins the team along with freshman Australian center Amelia Raidaveta.

Velaida Harris returns for her fifth season as WSU women’s head coach.

Below are composite lists that combine coaches and media polls for each sport, with total poll points and, if applicable, first-place votes in parentheses.

MEN’S COMPOSITE POLL

37 total ballots

1. Montana State 338 (27)

2. Northern Colorado 300 (7)

3. Montana 268 (2)

4. Weber State 244 (1)

5. Eastern Washington 226

6. Sacramento State 171

7. Portland State 145

8. Northern Arizona 105

9. Idaho 81

10. Idaho State 57

WOMEN’S COMPOSITE POLL

36 total ballots

1. Montana State 338 (33)

2. Montana 269 (1)

3. Idaho 251 (1)

4. Northern Arizona 247

5. Sacramento State 192 (1)

6. Eastern Washington 169

7. Weber State 133

8. Idaho State 128

9. Northern Colorado 115

10. Portland State 38

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