FARMINGTON, Utah — Montana State came in at No. 4 and Montana at No. 6 in the preseason Big Sky Conference volleyball coaches poll released Thursday.
The Bobcats went 14-16 overall and 9-7 in Big Sky play last season and advanced to the semifinals of the league tournament after upsetting No. 2 seed Weber State on its home court. MSU returns fifteen letterwinners, including five starters and a libero.
The Grizzlies closed 2022 with a 17-12 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the Big Sky. Their .607 winning percentage was the best mark by a Griz team since the 1999 season. UM brings back over 84% of its kills and 91% of its assists from last year’s squad.
Northern Colorado received eight of 10 first-place votes and is the preseason No. 1. The Bears were the regular-season and tournament champions a year ago, going 13-3 in Big Sky play. Overall, they finished 22-9.
2023 Big Sky Volleyball Coaches Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Northern Colorado (8) – 80
2. Weber State (1) – 69
3. Portland State – 61
4. Montana State (1) – 53
5. Sacramento State – 51
6. Montana – 41
7. Northern Arizona - 36
8. Eastern Washington – 28
9. Idaho State – 20
10. Idaho - 11
