Skylights picked first, Lights fifth in Frontier Coaches Polls

The Frontier Conference basketball season is still two months away. But the league has released its preseason picks, as well as it's preseason individual lists.

On Wednesday night, the Frontier announced its men's and women's Preseason Coaches Polls, as well as its Preseason All-Conference Teams.

The Montana State University-Northern Skylights were picked to win the Frontier title as the Skylights received five of the seven first-place votes. The MSU-Northern men were picked to finish fifth in the men's poll.

The Skylights, who finished second in the Frontier a year ago, received 33 points in the coaches poll, with UGF a close second. Lewis-Clark State was picked third, followed by Carroll College, Rocky Mountain College, UM-Western and Montana Tech. This is the first year in nearly two decades the league is without women's powerhouse Westminster College, which moved up to NCAA Division II following last season.

Northern junior Natalee Faupel was also voted to the Women's Preseason All-Conference Team, while UGF senior Erin Legel was picked to be the Preseason Player of the Year.

On the men's side, the Lights received 16 total votes in the coaches poll. Northern finished tied for third in the Frontier a year ago. Lewis-Clark State was voted to win the league title on the men's side, while UM-Western was picked second. Rocky Mountain College was third, followed by Carroll College, Northern, Great Falls and Montana Tech.

MSU-N senior Trevail Lee was selected as a member of the Men's Preseason All-Conference Team. Western senior Dexter Williams Jr., was voted the Frontier Preseason Player of the Year.

In the coaches polls, votes were six points for first, five points for second, four points for third, three points for fourth, two points for fifth and one point for sixth. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Frontier Preseason Coaches Polls

Men's

1. Lewis-Clark State (5) 33

2. UM-Western (2) 31

3. Rocky Mountain 23

4. Carroll College 22

5. MSU-Northern 16

6. Great Falls 14

7. Montana Tech 6

Women's

1. MSU-Northern (5) 33

2. Great Falls (2) 30

3. Lewis-Clark State 27.5

4. Carroll College 21.5

5. Rocky Mountain 18

6. UM-Western 11

7. Montana Tech 6

Frontier Men's Preseason All-Conference Team

Dexter Williams Jr., Montana Western, 6-4, senior forward; Oliver Carr, Carroll College, 6-6, senior forward; Zach Hinton, Rocky Mountain, 6-5, senior forward; Trevail Lee, MSU-Northern, 5-9, senior guard; Taylor Longo, Rocky Mountain, 6-1, junior guard; Zach Taylor, Carroll College, 6-0, junior guard; Jacob Wiley, Lewis-Clark State, 6-6, junior forward.

Frontier Women's Preseason All-Conference

Team

Erin Legel, University of Great Falls, 5-5, senior guard; Natalee Faupel, MSU-Northern, 5-10, junior guard/forward; Cassidy Hashley, Carroll College, 6-2, sophomore forward; Whitney Mitchell, Rocky Mountain, 5-7, senior guard; Nneka Nnadi, University of Great Falls, 5-9, junior guard; Caelyn Orlandi, Lewis-Clark State, 5-9, junior guard.