OGDEN, Utah -- There are four teams above and four teams below for Northern Colorado in the 2008 Big Sky Conference preseason poll, which was released earlier this afternoon.

The Bears received 34 points and no first-place votes to come in fiffth behind preseason favorite Portland State (61 and five), Sacramento State (53 and three), Weber State (50) and Eastern Washington (49 and one).

Montana (30), Northern Arizona (24) Idaho State (12) and Montana State (11) were all picked to finish lower than Northern Colorado in head coach Lyndsey Benson's fourth season in Greeley.

The Bears are coming off a season in which they finished 10-20 overall but 8-8 and in fifth place in the Big Sky.

"We wish we would have been picked higher," Benson said, "but that just gives us something to shoot for. We know nothing is going to be given to us, so now we just have to go out and prove the pollsters wrong."

Northern Colorado officially began its 2008 season on Saturday, Aug. 9, when players reported to Greeley for preseason camp. The Bears will begin competition against Villanova in the LaSalle Tournament on Friday, Aug. 29.

The Vikings won a share of last year's Big Sky regular-season title and will host this year's conference tournament (Nov. 28 and 29) for the first time in history.

2008 BIG SKY CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL POLL

TEAM                                 Points (first-place votes)

1. Portland State               61 (5)

2. Sacramento State         53 (3)

3. Weber State                  50

4. Eastern Washington      49 (1)

5. Northern Colorado         34

6. Montana                        30

7. Northern Arizona           24

8. Idaho State                   12

9. Montana State              11