Frontier holds first-ever Basketball Media Days

It was the first of its kind, and it was a smashing success.

The Frontier Conference held its first-ever Basketball Media Days Monday and Tuesday. The event was held virtually, as to cut down on travels costs.

On Monday, Frontier Commissioner Kent Paulson opened the proceedings with some comments before the women's coaches had their Media Day viz Zoom. Meanwhile, the men's coaches around the league had their turn Tuesday.

Two big things that came out of the two-day media blitz was the talk of the league returning to the tournament format for its postseason. This February, all six Frontier men's teams and six women's teams will meet at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls for the first Frontier Conference Tournament held since 2008. Since the league went away from the tourney format, which was held in Butte for many years, it went back to host sites to determine the men's and women's champions.

"I'm kind of the grandpa, I guess, of the league, so I have been around to see some of those tournaments and participate in some of those, and I loved it," Montana State University-Northern coach Chris Mouat said. "All teams, men and women in the same place, great crowds. I thought it was a lot of fun, and so I'm looking forward to it, personally."

The dates will be a bit different then they once were. The old Frontier tournament was held Thursday-Saturday at the Butte Civic Center, but in Great Falls, it will be played Sunday, Feb. 26-through Tuesday, Feb. 28.

The other big news from Media Days was the release of the Women's and Men's Coaches Polls.

On Monday, the Frontier released its Women's Coaches Poll, where defending league champion Carroll College was picked to finish first with five of the six first-place votes, meaning the Saints were a unanimous choice to repeat. Carroll has a ton of talent returning, and though Havre All-American Dani Wagner graduated, another Blue Pony steps in as former HHS star Kyndall Keller is now a Fighting Saint after spending two seasons with the Lady Griz.

Montana Western, a former NAIA national champion was picked to finish second. The Bulldogs have a slew of Hi-Line talent on their roster as former Box Elder Bears Lily Gopher, and Joelnell and Kyla Momberg will all play together in Dillon,

Of course, the Frontier is again loaded, as Rocky Mountain College is picked third, followed Providence, both of which are perennial NAIA tournament teams. Montana Tech, which is now led by former Belt head coach Jeff Graham, was picked fifth while the Skylights, who have some exciting new talent to blend with returners like Shyann Krass and Ryley Kehr, were picked to finish sixth.

On Tuesday, it was on to the men's season, including hearing from longtime Northern head coach Shawn Huse. The head man of the Lights, whose team was picked to finish fourth in the Frontier Men's Coaches Poll.

Carroll joined their women's team in being picked to win the conference championship as the Fighting Saints garnered four of the six first-place voters. Montana Tech picked dup the other two votes and was second in the poll, while Montana Western was third, followed by Northern, Rocky and Providence.

Also at Media Days, the league compiled its Men's and Women's Preseason All-Conference Team and preseason awards, which will be released later today.

Meanwhile, the season is about to begin. The Lights and Skylights host King's University at Havre High next Friday for their season-openers.

Frontier Women's Coaches Poll

Carroll College (5) 25 points

Montana Western (1) 19.5 points

Rocky Mountain College 18

University of Providence 12.5

Montana Tech 8

MSU-Northern 7

Frontier Men's Coaches Poll

Carroll College (4) 24

Montana Tech (2) 22

Montana Western 17

MSU-Northern 11

Rocky Mountain College 8

University of Providence 8