Oct. 28, 2010
Official Big West Preseason Poll Release in PDF Format 
DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis, which finished 21-11 overall last season and advanced to the Women's National Invitational Tournament for the second time in three years, has been selected to capture the 2010-11 Big West Women's Basketball title in a vote of the media, it was announced by the conference on Thursday.
Addtionally, two-time All-Big West first-team selection Paige Mintun, was voted to the six-player preseason all-conference team.
The Aggies, who return four starters and 10 letterwinners, finished 12-4 in league games last season, claiming their first-ever Big West regular-season title. They advanced to the Big West Tournament championship for the second time, falling to UC Riverside but earning a WNIT bid where they extended eventual champion Cal to overtime in the first round.
UC Davis opens the upcoming season on Nov. 12 at San Francisco before hosting Washington State on Nov. 14 in the Aggies home-opener. They'll play an exhibition game against San Francisco State at 4:45 p.m. on Nov. 3 at The Pavilion.
The Aggies received 16 of 25 first-place votes and 210 points overall in the preseason poll, finishing ahead of Cal Poly which was picked second with four first-place votes and 183 points. The defending champion Highlanders (182 points) and UC Santa Barbara (164 points) received two and three first-place votes, respectively, to occupy the next two spots in the preseason predictions..
Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, Long Beach State, Pacific and Cal State Northridge comprise the fifth through 10th spots in the poll.
UC Davis returns a veteran lineup for 14th-year head coach Sandy Simpson who announced earlier this month he will retire at the end of the upcoming season and be replaced by associate head coach Jennifer Gross.
Mintun, who averaged a team-high 13.0 points and 4.6 rebounds last year, also contributed 35 blocks, 31 three-pointers and 65 assists while earning her second straight All-Big West honor. The 6-foot-2 senior post from Valley Center in Southern California is one of four starters returning, joining wing Heidi Heintz (10.8 ppg.), wing Kasey Riecks (9.7) and guard Hana Asano (4.7). Ten players return overall.
Mintun was joined on the preseason team by Mikah Maly-Karros (UC Irvine), Alyssa Morris (UC Riverside), Megan Richardson (Cal State Fullerton), Kristina Santiago (Cal Poly) and Mekia Valentine (UC Santa Barbara).
BIG WEST PRESEASON POLL
(first-place votes)
1. UC DAVIS (16), 210 pts.
2, Cal Poly (4), 183
3. UC Riverside (2), 182
4. UC Santa Barbara (3), 164
5. Cal State Fullerton, 113
6. UC Irvine, 96
7. Long Beach State, 84
8. Pacific, 51
9. Cal State Northridge, 42
PRESEASON ALL-BIG WEST TEAM
Mikah Maly-Karros (UC Irvine)
Paige Mintun (UC Davis)
Alyssas Morris (UC Riverside)
Megan Richardson (Cal State Fullerton)
Kristina Santiago (Cal Poly)
Mekia Valentine (UC Santa Barbara)
