The Idaho State women's outdoor track and field team was picked fifth in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll while the men were picked eighth, announced Thursday morning through the ISU Sports Information office.

    The Bengals recieved 78 points. Sacramento State was picked first with 119 points and had nine first-place votes. The Hornets are five-time defending Big Sky champions.

    Portland State was picked second with 96 points and one first-place vote, Weber State third with 82 and Montana State fourth with 79. Northern Arizona follows ISU with 75 points, Southern Utah seventh with 66, Montana eighth with 53, Eastern Washington ninth with 41, Northern Colorado 10th with 21 and North Dakota 11th with 16.

    At the 2013 Indoor Big Sky Championships, the women finished third with 85 points. Caitlin Maulin (pole vault), Camille Marchand (200m) and Chloe Palakovich (800m) all won individual titles.

    The Bengal men recieved 55 points for their eighth place prediction. Clint Gosack won the Big Sky Indoor Championship in the pole vault and Cade Owen, Corbin Latimore, Andy Lish and Jesse Soresen won the men's 4X400m relay.

    Northern Arizona was selected first with 120 points and 10 first-place votes. The Lumberjacks are also the defending outdoor champions.

    Montana State was picked second with 104 points and one first-place vote, Sacrament State was third with 97 points, Weber State fourth with 94, Southern Utah fifth with 66 and Montana sixth with 59 and Eastern Washington seventh with 57. After the Bengals in ninth was Northern Colorado with 27 points, North Dakota 10th with 24 and Portland State 11th with 23.

    Teams receive 11 points for a first-place vote, 10 points for a second-place vote, etc. In this poll, coaches were allowed to vote for their respective teams.

    Portland State will host this year’s Big Sky outdoor championships May 8-11 in Forest Grove, Ore.