Walker, Harrison among Big Sky players named to HERO Sports preseason FCS All-American team

The 2021 HERO Sports FCS preseason All-American teams were announced on Wednesday, as Montana, Montana State and Weber State tied for the most selections in the league with four each.

Among the Big Sky honorees, Idaho linebacker Tre Walker was named to the first team and Eastern Washington kicker Seth Harrison, from Coeur d'Alene High, was named to the third team.

2021 HERO SPORTS FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS

Big Sky selections

First Team Offense

QB — Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington

TE — McCallan Castles, UC Davis

OL — Braxton Jones, Southern Utah

First Team Defense

LB — Tre Walker, Idaho

LB — Jace Lewis, Montana

DB — Anthony Adams, Portland State

First Team Special Teams

P — Daniel Whelan, UC Davis

Second Team Offense

RB — Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State

FB — Clay Moss, Weber State

WR — Samuel Akem, Montana

OL — Ty Whitworth, Weber State

Second Team Defense

DL — Amandre Williams, Montana State

LB — Troy Andersen, Montana State

LB — Conner Mortensen, Weber State

DB — Robby Hauck, Montana

DB — Jordan Perryman, UC Davis

Second Team Special Teams

K — Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona

Third Team Offense

RB — Isaiah Ifanse, Montana State

TE — Marshel Martin, Sacramento State

OL — Lewis Kidd, Montana State

Third Team Defense

DL — Jared Schiess, Weber State

Third Team Special Teams

K — Seth Harrison, Eastern Washington

RS — Malik Flowers, Montana

WSU women's soccer team picked fifth in Pac-12 preseason poll

SAN FRANCISCO – Take two of the 2021 season has Washington State women's soccer team picked to finish fifth in conference play, according to the preseason coaches poll released Wednesday by the Pac-12 Conference office.

Washington State and the rest of the Pac-12 begin a normal fall campaign after seeing their 2020 season shortened and pushed to the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols.

The Cougs were picked in the top half of the conference for the third-straight season as they look to vie for the Pac-12 title and push their way back into the NCAA Tournament, where they reached the national semifinals in 2019. Reigning Pac-12 champion UCLA was selected to repeat as conference champs, followed by USC and Stanford; Washington was picked fourth.

After WSU, California was picked sixth, followed by Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, Utah and Oregon State.

WSU begins the 2021 fall season with one of its deepest rosters in recent memory with the five fifth-year seniors returning after the shortened spring campaign, headlined by 2020 leading scorer Elyse Bennett and 2019 all-region honoree Brianna Alger, who returns from injury.

Also back is junior defender Bridget Rieken of Lake City High, who started on the 2019 squad as a freshman.

The season officially begins Aug. 19 at home at Lower Soccer Field when the Cougs host Arkansas State at 7 pm. Prior to the start of the regular season the Cougs will play one tune-up contest at Idaho Aug. 13.