25 26 Preseason Conference Poll

[Conrad1]

From the Big Sky Conference: something called Blue Ribbon Yearbook has a preseason men's poll with the following:
1 Griz
2 Portland State
3. Idaho State
4. Idaho
5 Weber
6 Eastern Washington
7 Northern Colorado
8 Sac State
9 Montana State
10 Northern Arizona

Preseason 1st all-conference players are:
G Money Williams, Junior, Montana (Preseason Player of the Year)
G Kolton Mitchell, Sophomore, Idaho
G Jaylin Henderson, Senior, Portland State
F Terri Miller, Junior, Portland State
F Caleb Van De Griend, Australian Grad transfer from Minot State, Idaho State

As I said, I known nothing about Blue Ribbon Yearbook, but if this has any validity at all, what explains the Bobcats as the 9th rated team?? I know the 9th place ranking means nothing once the season starts, but what's with this?

[MSU01]

From the Big Sky Conference: something called Blue Ribbon Yearbook has a preseason men's poll with the following:
1 Griz
2 Portland State
3. Idaho State
4. Idaho
5 Weber
6 Eastern Washington
7 Northern Colorado
8 Sac State
9 Montana State
10 Northern Arizona

Preseason 1st all-conference players are:
G Money Williams, Junior, Montana (Preseason Player of the Year)
G Kolton Mitchell, Sophomore, Idaho
G Jaylin Henderson, Senior, Portland State
F Terri Miller, Junior, Portland State
F Caleb Van De Griend, Australian Grad transfer from Minot State, Idaho State

As I said, I known nothing about Blue Ribbon Yearbook, but if this has any validity at all, what explains the Bobcats as the 9th rated team?? I know the 9th place ranking means nothing once the season starts, but what's with this?

Probably because MSU only returns two players from last year's roster that played significant minutes. I doubt anyone knows what to expect with so many new players until we actually see them play! They could be great and contend for the conference title or maybe it doesn't work and they finish at the bottom.

[The Butcher]

From the Big Sky Conference: something called Blue Ribbon Yearbook has a preseason men's poll with the following:
1 Griz
2 Portland State
3. Idaho State
4. Idaho
5 Weber
6 Eastern Washington
7 Northern Colorado
8 Sac State
9 Montana State
10 Northern Arizona

Preseason 1st all-conference players are:
G Money Williams, Junior, Montana (Preseason Player of the Year)
G Kolton Mitchell, Sophomore, Idaho
G Jaylin Henderson, Senior, Portland State
F Terri Miller, Junior, Portland State
F Caleb Van De Griend, Australian Grad transfer from Minot State, Idaho State

As I said, I known nothing about Blue Ribbon Yearbook, but if this has any validity at all, what explains the Bobcats as the 9th rated team?? I know the 9th place ranking means nothing once the season starts, but what's with this?

Probably because MSU only returns two players from last year's roster that played significant minutes. I doubt anyone knows what to expect with so many new players until we actually see them play! They could be great and contend for the conference title or maybe it doesn't work and they finish at the bottom.

That’s why my interest in college basketball has really dropped off. It’s tough to get invested when the roster changes every season.

[tetoncat]

If Cats finish 9th I think we have a new coach the following year. Expectations are much higher than that. A slide after Danny left was expected but by year 3 its your system and players.

[BobcatDel]

If Cats finish 9th I think we have a new coach the following year. Expectations are much higher than that. A slide after Danny left was expected but by year 3 its your system and players.

I used to be in the same camp that Year 3 is the test of how you have recruited and developed players. I am wrestling with that now. With NIL and the transfer portal… these days it kinda depends on us as fans contributing enough funds so we can keep folks at home for 3 or 4 years that coaches have been developing or enough money to bring in quality transfers to replace those that abandon ship. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the new environment.

I’m not ready to abandon Coach with a down year. He was the last D1 coach hired his first year so retaining some Sprinkle recruits (remember he got Robert Ford to change and come back to an MVP and defensive player award) and supplementing some late recruits was all he could do…He did win the Big Sky tourney that first year. Second year a 5th place finish but getting to semi-finals was better than I thought we would achieve. This year…well we have a largely new team chemistry to build…Will be interesting….and I don’t think we finish 9th.

[Cat449yrs]

I agree. I've never heard of that poll and to me their predictions are bogus. Logie has recruited enough talent this year to compete for a championship if they develop some chemistry. I predict top 3.

[tetoncat]

If Cats finish 9th I think we have a new coach the following year. Expectations are much higher than that. A slide after Danny left was expected but by year 3 its your system and players.

I used to be in the same camp that Year 3 is the test of how you have recruited and developed players. I am wrestling with that now. With NIL and the transfer portal… these days it kinda depends on us as fans contributing enough funds so we can keep folks at home for 3 or 4 years that coaches have been developing or enough money to bring in quality transfers to replace those that abandon ship. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the new environment.

I’m not ready to abandon Coach with a down year. He was the last D1 coach hired his first year so retaining some Sprinkle recruits (remember he got Robert Ford to change and come back to an MVP and defensive player award) and supplementing some late recruits was all he could do…He did win the Big Sky tourney that first year. Second year a 5th place finish but getting to semi-finals was better than I thought we would achieve. This year…well we have a largely new team chemistry to build…Will be interesting….and I don’t think we finish 9th.

Every coach is dealing with NIL and portal. It is still his team, probably more so with ability to put ones he thinks fit his program and can compete in Big Sky. It was a slip last year so we need to see stability or improvement. I don't think they will be 9th and Polls are meaningless. The trend is what I will be looking at.

[DwaineF]

I love the underdog role. It allows the players to relax due to lower expectations, and it puts a chip on their shoulders at the same time. Go Cats!!!!

[mslacat]

Big Sky Conference basketball preseason polls have become a complete toss-up in the era of the transfer portal. In the past, it was always fun to compare the preseason predictions with the actual results at the end of the season. There were usually one or two teams that surprised everyone and a couple that fell short of expectations.

This year—and likely moving forward—trying to pick the best and worst teams feels like a total crapshoot. There are simply too many unknowns. Very few all-conference players are returning, whether due to graduation or underclassmen leaving for what they see as greener pastures.

So, where will the next wave of Big Sky stars come from? For the most part, they’ll emerge from the large pool of incoming transfers. The real question is: which ones? That will ultimately shape the end-of-season all-conference teams and determine the league’s top and bottom finishers.

Predicting who will shine is tricky. Do you bet on the transfer from a high-major program who averaged just two points per game in limited minutes? Or do you lean toward the D2 or NAIA all-conference standout who averaged 18 points per game last season? There are very few proven players this year—and a ton of unanswered questions.

In the past, by this time of year, I usually had a pretty good sense of which teams I thought would be at the top. I wasn’t always right, but I generally held my own. This season, though, I honestly have no idea about the men’s or women’s power rankings.

The best I can say is that I expect Monty Williams to have a strong year, which should put Montana in the top half of the standings. On the women’s side, MSU brings back quite a bit of talent despite some key transfers, so I expect them to be competitive. NAU, on the other hand, seems likely to take at least a small—if not significant—step back with all their departures, including their head coach.

Beyond that, I just don’t have a strong read on how good the rest of the Big Sky Conference teams will be this season.

[BobcatDel]

If Cats finish 9th I think we have a new coach the following year. Expectations are much higher than that. A slide after Danny left was expected but by year 3 its your system and players.

I used to be in the same camp that Year 3 is the test of how you have recruited and developed players. I am wrestling with that now. With NIL and the transfer portal… these days it kinda depends on us as fans contributing enough funds so we can keep folks at home for 3 or 4 years that coaches have been developing or enough money to bring in quality transfers to replace those that abandon ship. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the new environment.

I’m not ready to abandon Coach with a down year. He was the last D1 coach hired his first year so retaining some Sprinkle recruits (remember he got Robert Ford to change and come back to an MVP and defensive player award) and supplementing some late recruits was all he could do…He did win the Big Sky tourney that first year. Second year a 5th place finish but getting to semi-finals was better than I thought we would achieve. This year…well we have a largely new team chemistry to build…Will be interesting….and I don’t think we finish 9th.

Every coach is dealing with NIL and portal. It is still his team, probably more so with ability to put ones he thinks fit his program and can compete in Big Sky. It was a slip last year so we need to see stability or improvement. I don't think they will be 9th and Polls are meaningless. The trend is what I will be looking at.

Yes each team is dealing with NIL and portal. Some are just better funded to handle it differently. The teams that don’t have the support of the fans funding the NIL will not keep their players or program with the same vitality as others….call it “his” team if you want but in the new era “the collective we” will be a big factor whether “he or she” is successful over the long haul.

[msu_agfan]

To keep this interesting, as I wait for any recruiting news... I found another poll by Mid Major Madness.. They did list Money Williams as the Preseason Player of the Year.

MMM Big Sky Preseason Poll:
1. Idaho
2. Portland State
3. Montana State
4. Montana
5. Eastern Washington
6. Weber State
7. Northern Colorado
8. Idaho State
9. Northern Arizona
10. Sacramento State

https://govandals.com/news/2025/9/13/me ... -year.aspx

[tetoncat]

If Cats finish 9th I think we have a new coach the following year. Expectations are much higher than that. A slide after Danny left was expected but by year 3 its your system and players.

I used to be in the same camp that Year 3 is the test of how you have recruited and developed players. I am wrestling with that now. With NIL and the transfer portal… these days it kinda depends on us as fans contributing enough funds so we can keep folks at home for 3 or 4 years that coaches have been developing or enough money to bring in quality transfers to replace those that abandon ship. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the new environment.

I’m not ready to abandon Coach with a down year. He was the last D1 coach hired his first year so retaining some Sprinkle recruits (remember he got Robert Ford to change and come back to an MVP and defensive player award) and supplementing some late recruits was all he could do…He did win the Big Sky tourney that first year. Second year a 5th place finish but getting to semi-finals was better than I thought we would achieve. This year…well we have a largely new team chemistry to build…Will be interesting….and I don’t think we finish 9th.

Every coach is dealing with NIL and portal. It is still his team, probably more so with ability to put ones he thinks fit his program and can compete in Big Sky. It was a slip last year so we need to see stability or improvement. I don't think they will be 9th and Polls are meaningless. The trend is what I will be looking at.

Yes each team is dealing with NIL and portal. Some are just better funded to handle it differently. The teams that don’t have the support of the fans funding the NIL will not keep their players or program with the same vitality as others….call it “his” team if you want but in the new era “the collective we” will be a big factor whether “he or she” is successful over the long haul.

How is it not his team. He recruited them, the fans don't get a say. Football seems to have had success funding players who stay awhile or have MT ties. The MT ties won't happen so unless players show out I'm not sure they can get funding significant enough to keep them.

Who in Bog Sky do you think does. It seems 80% of the all conference teams leave each year

[CatBlitz]

From the Big Sky Conference: something called Blue Ribbon Yearbook has a preseason men's poll with the following:
1 Griz
2 Portland State
3. Idaho State
4. Idaho
5 Weber
6 Eastern Washington
7 Northern Colorado
8 Sac State
9 Montana State
10 Northern Arizona

Preseason 1st all-conference players are:
G Money Williams, Junior, Montana (Preseason Player of the Year)
G Kolton Mitchell, Sophomore, Idaho
G Jaylin Henderson, Senior, Portland State
F Terri Miller, Junior, Portland State
F Caleb Van De Griend, Australian Grad transfer from Minot State, Idaho State

As I said, I known nothing about Blue Ribbon Yearbook, but if this has any validity at all, what explains the Bobcats as the 9th rated team?? I know the 9th place ranking means nothing once the season starts, but what's with this?

Probably because MSU only returns two players from last year's roster that played significant minutes. I doubt anyone knows what to expect with so many new players until we actually see them play! They could be great and contend for the conference title or maybe it doesn't work and they finish at the bottom.

That’s why my interest in college basketball has really dropped off. It’s tough to get invested when the roster changes every season.

Yep. It's sad but it's made it so hard to get invested and care.
I know I've said it dozens of times, but college sports are getting ruined by NIL and the conference conglomerates.

[catatac]

From the Big Sky Conference: something called Blue Ribbon Yearbook has a preseason men's poll with the following:
1 Griz
2 Portland State
3. Idaho State
4. Idaho
5 Weber
6 Eastern Washington
7 Northern Colorado
8 Sac State
9 Montana State
10 Northern Arizona

Preseason 1st all-conference players are:
G Money Williams, Junior, Montana (Preseason Player of the Year)
G Kolton Mitchell, Sophomore, Idaho
G Jaylin Henderson, Senior, Portland State
F Terri Miller, Junior, Portland State
F Caleb Van De Griend, Australian Grad transfer from Minot State, Idaho State

As I said, I known nothing about Blue Ribbon Yearbook, but if this has any validity at all, what explains the Bobcats as the 9th rated team?? I know the 9th place ranking means nothing once the season starts, but what's with this?

I haven't been following progress with the hoops team at all, but decided to take a look in this forum. That's extremely depressing, seeing the Cats down there so far on the list. If the Cats aren't towards the top every year, competing for the Big Sky title, that is unacceptable given where this university is at with everything.

[RickRund]

Massey has it:
No Colorado, gris, CATS, ISU, Portland isn’t a state, Weebs, NAU, EWWW U, Idaho, sac isn’t a state either…

[MSU01]

From the Big Sky Conference: something called Blue Ribbon Yearbook has a preseason men's poll with the following:
1 Griz
2 Portland State
3. Idaho State
4. Idaho
5 Weber
6 Eastern Washington
7 Northern Colorado
8 Sac State
9 Montana State
10 Northern Arizona

Preseason 1st all-conference players are:
G Money Williams, Junior, Montana (Preseason Player of the Year)
G Kolton Mitchell, Sophomore, Idaho
G Jaylin Henderson, Senior, Portland State
F Terri Miller, Junior, Portland State
F Caleb Van De Griend, Australian Grad transfer from Minot State, Idaho State

As I said, I known nothing about Blue Ribbon Yearbook, but if this has any validity at all, what explains the Bobcats as the 9th rated team?? I know the 9th place ranking means nothing once the season starts, but what's with this?

I haven't been following progress with the hoops team at all, but decided to take a look in this forum. That's extremely depressing, seeing the Cats down there so far on the list. If the Cats aren't towards the top every year, competing for the Big Sky title, that is unacceptable given where this university is at with everything.

Not sure if anyone should be depressed by a preseason poll when it's all one huge guessing game these days given the amount of year-to-year player turnover. I agree that the expectations for the program once we actually start playing games should remain high, it's hard to be too critical when the team has played in 3 of the past 4 NCAA Tournaments but last season definitely fell well short of what I think we all want to see.