The Eastern Washington University indoor track team, both men and women, have been picked eighth in the Big Sky Conference preseason polls released Tuesday (Jan. 5) by the league office. The selections were made by the league's head coaches.
 
Coached by Stan Kerr, the men's team received 56 votes ranking eighth, while the women, coached by Marcia Mecklenburg, received 45 tallies also ranking eighth.
 
A year ago, the Eastern men's team finished sixth indoors at the Big Sky Conference Championships while the women finished ninth. The outdoor season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
There are 70 total letterwinners returning for the 2021 indoor season, including 36 women and 34 men. Seven athletes have previously earned All-Big Sky Conference honors by finishing in the top three at Big Sky Championship meets. That list includes four males and three females.
 
Northern Arizona men's and women's indoor teams were picked to sweep the Big Sky titles and received the majority of first-place votes in both polls.
 

Indoor Preseason Coaches' Poll Results

Men's
Northern Arizona (11)	121
Montana State	102
Idaho	84
Weber State	82
Idaho State	76
Montana	62
Southern Utah	62
Eastern Washington	56
Sacramento State	41
Northern Colorado	25
Portland State	15
Women's
Northern Arizona (8)	117
Sacramento State (2)	100
Weber State (1)	91
Idaho State	87
Montana State	71
Idaho	69
Southern Utah	66
Eastern Washington	45
Montana	42
Northern Colorado	26
Portland State	12

 
 
 

More on the Preseason Polls . . .

The Northern Arizona men and women topped the 2021 Indoor Track and Field Coaches poll.  The men were the unanimous favorites to win the conference this season while the women received eight first-place votes to receive the top spot in the poll.
 
On the men's side, NAU tallied 121 points and all 11 first-place votes as the Lumberjacks return last year's Freshman of the Year and the champion in the 3000-meters and 5000-meters, Abdihamid Nur.  NAU also returns Luis Grijalva for his final season and will look to repeat as the champion in the mile.
 
Montana State was picked to finish in second place this season after receiving 102 votes in the poll and Idaho is projected to have a top-three finish this season with 84 votes.
 
Weber State (82), Idaho State (76), Montana (62), Southern Utah (62), Eastern Washington (56), Sacramento State (41), Northern Colorado (25), and Portland State (15) round out the remainder of the men's poll.
 
For the Lumberjack women, they received eight first-place votes and tallied 117 points in the poll.  NAU is returning distance runner Mikayla Malaspina, who won the 3000-meters and 5000-meters at last year's championship.  Also returning for the Lumberjacks is sprinter Miracle Onyemaobi who had a strong showing last season by placing in the top four of every event she competed in.
 
Two first-place votes went to Sacramento State who was picked second and received 100 points in the poll.  Weber State picked up the final first-place vote in the women's coaches' poll and is picked third with 91 points.
 
Idaho State (87), Montana State (71), Idaho (69), Southern Utah (66), Eastern Washington (45), Montana (42), Northern Colorado (26), and Portland State (12) round out the remainder of the women's poll.
 
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