Colorado State University Athletics
CSU Men Picked Third, Women Fourth In Preseason Polls
10/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Mountain West Conference released its men's and women?s basketball preseason media polls and all-conference teams today at the league's media day being held at the Denver Marriott Tech Center.
Colorado State was picked by the media and coches to finish third in the men?s race and fourth in the women?s race.
Junior center Matt Nelson was tabbed as the Top Returning Player in the conference and was named to the Preseason All-Conference team. Nelson was the Mountain West Conference Tournament MVP and was invited to the USA Basketball Pan Amercian Games Tryouts.
The league media selected BYU to claim the Mountain West Conference men's basketball title with 144 total points and 13 of the possible 19 first-place votes. Utah was picked second with 138 points and was the only other team to garner first place votes with six. Defending MWC Tournament Champion Colorado State came in third with 107 points, followed by UNLV fourth with 97. Wyoming placed fifth with 73 points, followed by San Diego State (55), New Mexico (36), and Air Force (35).
Utah returned to the top of the MWC preseason poll for the first time since 2000-01, collecting all possible first-place votes to repeat as MWC regular season champions (coaches did not vote for their own team). BYU picked up the other first-place vote and edged New Mexico by one point to place second. Colorado State followed the Lobos at fourth place, with UNLV, San Diego State, Wyoming and Air Force rounding out the poll.
MEN?S School (1st Votes) Points 1. BYU (13) 144 2. Utah (6) 138 3. Colorado State 107 4. UNLV 97 5. Wyoming 73 6. San Diego State 55 7. New Mexico 36 8. Air Force 35 Preseason All-MWC Tim Keller, Jr., G, AFA Rafael Araujo, Sr., C, BYU Mark Bigelow, Sr., F, BYU Matt Nelson, Jr., C, CSU Tim Frost, Sr., F, Utah Nick Jacobson, Sr., G, Utah Top Returning Player Matt Nelson, Jr., C, CSU Top Newcomer Andrew Bogut, Fr., C, UtahWOMEN?S School (1st Votes) Points 1. Utah (19) 152 2. BYU (1) 120 3. New Mexico 119 4. Colorado State 98 5. UNLV 85 6. San Diego State 57 7. Wyoming 54 8. Air Force 28 Preseason All-MWC Kim Smith, So., F, Utah Shona Thorburn, So., G, Utah Danielle Cheesman, Jr., F, BYU Mandi Moore, Jr., G, UNM Sherry McCracklin, Jr., F/C, UNLV Top Returning Player Kim Smith, So., F, Utah Top Newcomer Jenny Shetters, Jr., C, New Mexico
