I must be important, because the Big Sky asked me to cast a vote in the women’s basketball preseason poll.

    I’ve never been bestowed with this level of responsibility before. When I learned I would have to fill out a ballot that would help dictate the preseason rankings, I immediately thought to myself, “My goodness, I hope I don’t screw this up.”

    But I did my homework, researched each team and put together what I think is a solid list. These are based on each team’s finish from last season, who they lost and who returns. I’ll go from bottom up, because no one likes starting a list from the top. I’ll also post each team’s conference and overall record from last season.

    Behold my selections, and if you have any qualms, please be gentle.

    11. Weber State (0-29, 0-20)

    There isn’t a whole lot to say about the Wildcats. Under third-year head coach Bethann Ord, Weber State is 2-56. The Wildcats were winless in 2012-2013. But there’s much to be said about returning all five starters from that year. There’s a lot of growth that can take place in a year’s time. But four of those five starters are sophomores, and one is a junior. With more experience you can peg the Wildcats to have a few more wins than last season, but I have a hard time thinking they won’t repeat as the Big Sky’s last-place team.

    10. Northern Arizona (8-21, 7-13)

    Northern Arizona finished eighth in the Big Sky in 2012-2013, two games behind seventh-place and Big Sky Tournament-bound Southern Utah. Unfortunately for the Lumberjacks, this seasons looks to regress. Senior Amanda Frost is the team’s lone returning starter. She ranked second on the team last year with 9.9 points per game. Junior forwards Raven Anderson and Erikka Banks also return after contributing heavily, but I’d be surprised if that was enough for the Lumberjacks to progress.

    9. North Dakota (11-18, 6-14)

    I wouldn’t be shocked if the North Dakota No-Mascots fought their way into the conference tournament. Big Sky Honorable Mention Madi Buck returns. With her are returning starters Megan Lauck and Emily Evers. Center Allyssa Wall, who was limited last season, should be a major factor near the basket. She is sixth all-time at North Dakota with 134 career blocked shots. She also leads all current North Dakota players with 734 total points. North Dakota could be a sleeper.

    8. Portland State (12-17, 6-14)

    Here’s another team that could do well this year. The Vikings clamored through an injury-riddled 2012-2013 season. Starting point guard Kate Lanz lasted 10 games before injuring her knee, causing her to sit out. Big Sky Newcomer of the Year Angela Misa fell short of making it through the schedule and went down with a knee injury of her own. Both are poised to make comebacks, leaving Portland State a team not to be trifled with.

    7. Idaho State (18-13, 13-7)

    Never discount Idaho State head coach Seton Sobolewski. This is a young team with just two players returning who enjoyed significant playing time last season. But Sobolewski has shown his commitment to his system, and it’s paid off. The fifth-year coach has an 86-68 overall record. This team may have the most unproven players of any other Big Sky roster, but I’m betting on Sobolewski to lead them to another conference tournament berth.

    6. Sacramento State (19-12, 13-7)

    I’ll admit, I don’t know what to do with the Hornets. They return a great roster with two Big Sky Honorable Mentions: point guard Fantasia Hilliard and guard Alle Moreno. But former head coach Jamie Craighead left for San Jose State and took most of her assistants with her. Sacramento State just hired Bunky Harkleroad, who enjoyed a ton of success at DII Glenville State College. Craighead may be a great coach, but we won’t know until he proves it at the DI level.

    5. Southern Utah (15-16, 9-11)

    Could the Thunderbirds be the team in the Big Sky no one was expecting to make a run? With Big Sky Honorable Mention Hailey Mandelko coming off a 2012-2013 season where she averaged 11.8 points per game, including 102 3-pointers, they very well could be. Pair Mandelko with forward Carlie Moreland, who was third in the Big Sky last season sinking 52.7 percent of her shots, and Southern Utah could be a dark-horse team.

    4. Montana State (17-13, 11-9)

    The Bobcats might’ve lost Big Sky Second-Team selection Rachel Semansky, but Montana State still has the firepower to make some noise in the conference. Three starters return, and look for senior forward Ashley Brumwell to earn some Big Sky recognition. She returns this year as Montana State’s leading rebounder and shot blocker. With Kalli Durham running the offense from the guard position and senior Ausha Cole returning to the lineup after taking all of last season off on maternity leave, the Bobcats have no reason to think they won’t be near the top of the conference.

    3. Northern Colorado (21-13, 15-5)

    This year looked to be just as good for the Bears before Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and first-team selection D’Shara Strange was redshirted after undergoing season-ending knee surgery. But things still look up for the Big Sky Tournament runner-up Bears, who bring back forwards Lindsay Mallon and Kim Lockridge. Also returning is Stephanie Lee, who broke the Northern Colorado single-season record for blocked shots with 48.

    2. Montana (24-8, 16-4)

    Last year’s regular season champion and tournament champion have two starters returning this season. They lose Big Sky MVP Katie Baker along with first-team selection Kenzie de Boer. But 35-year head coach Robin Selvig doesn’t care. He just reloads. Expect seniors Torry Hill and Jordan Sullivan to lead an otherwise young Griz team to another run at the title. Montana returns most of their players from last season, welcoming just three newcomers to the program.

    1. Eastern Washington (19-13, 14-6)

    The Eagles return one of the most explosive rosters in the conference. Lexie Nelson returns from a breakout 2012-2013 campaign where she earned Big Sky first-team honors. Hayley Hodgins was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Aubrey Ashenfelter and Kylie Huerta are the other two returning starters, each scoring 8 and 7.3 points per game, respectively. The Eagles last two games were losses, the first in overtime in the conference tournament semifinals against Northern Colorado. The second was in the WNIT Tournament against No. 1 seeded Washington in double-overtime. It’s safe to say the Eagles have unfinished business heading into this season, and they have the roster to accomplish it.