The Big Sky Conference released the 2022-23 Indoor Track and Field Preseason coaches' poll today (Jan. 5) and Eastern Washington men's team was selected to finish sixth, while the women are tied for seventh. Head coach Erin Tucker will look to change some minds in his first season leading the Eagles.

Eastern's men's team earned 51 points and is nine points back of Weber State for fifth and seven points ahead of Montana for seventh. The Eagle women's team is tied with Montana for seventh with 42 points each. They trail Sacramento State for sixth by nine points.

Northern Arizona was picked to win both the men's and women's championships unanimously. The NAU men's team has won 10 consecutive indoor titles and the women's have won four out of the last five.

At the 2022 Big Sky Track and Field Indoor Championships, both the men's and women's teams placed sixth. The women recorded 57 points and the men had 46.5 in the postseason competition. 

Eastern benefits from four returning All-Conference performers from the '22 championships. The group includes Zach Klobutcher (pole vault), Savannah Schultz (pole vault), Joe Gauthier (60-meter) and Bobby Say (triple and long jump). Additionally, Hally Ruff and Rosalie Folger-Vent return for the Eagles, after placing fourth and sixth respectively at last season's indoor championships. Eastern swept the women's pole vault podium in 2022.

The Eagles started its 2022-23 season at the Spokane Invite last month (Dec. 10), competing well in the tune-up meet. Brayden Freitag placed fourth in the men's pole vault after clearing 16-6 3/4. Freitag's mark puts him at number four on the program's top 10 list. Klobutcher placed fifth after clearing the same distance.

Say would start his season off strong with a second-place finish in the triple jump (49-5 3/4) and third in the long jump (23-1 1/4). Bradley Fillis earned a second-place finish in weight throw (57-8 1/4) and fourth place in shot put (53-4 1/2). Ruff would place fifth in pole vault (12-9 1/2) and Gauthier would place sixth in the 60-meter dash (6.88 seconds).

The indoor season continues for Eastern in Spokane, Wash. next weekend when they participate in the Spokane Indoor Challenge at The Podium. The meet starts on Friday, Jan. 13 and goes through Saturday, Jan. 14.

The 2023 Big Sky Indoor Championships will take place in Moscow, Idaho on Feb. 23 through Feb. 24.

Men's Indoor Track & Field Coaches' Poll
 
1: Northern Arizona (10) – 100
2: Idaho – 84
3: Montana State – 80
4: Idaho State – 61
5: Weber State – 60
6: Eastern Washington – 51
7: Montana – 44
8: Sacramento State – 36
9: Northern Colorado – 22
10: Portland State – 12
 
Women's Indoor Track & Field Coaches' Poll
 
1: Northern Arizona (10) – 100
2: Idaho – 83
3: Montana State – 70
4: Idaho State – 69
5: Weber State – 59
6: Sacramento State – 51
T7: Eastern Washington – 42
T7: Montana – 42
9: Northern Colorado – 24
10: Portland State - 10