FOOTBALL ARE CLOSED BY SECOND VEHICLES, THIRD VEHICLES BY VEHICLES; YEARS TO EARN PRESEASON

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Sacramento State team was picked by coaches to finish second and third by the media and the five Hornets won the pre-season All-Big Sky title, it was announced today at the Big Sky Kickoff.

A poll of coaches shows the top three teams are only two points apart, and each of them earns at least three votes in first place. Despite having the fewest first place votes of the trio, Montana was chosen first with 111 points. Sacramento State received four picks in first place and finished with a total of 110 points. Montana State came in third with five nods and 109 points.

Coaches picked Weber State fourth (82 points) with UC Davis (82), Eastern Washington (76) and Northern Arizona (62) completing the top seven.

In a media poll, Montana ranked Montana State as a pre-season favorite. Griz received 14 votes in first place and a total of 356 points. MSU has 13 votes in first place and 352 points. Sacramento State ranked third with 335 points and four top picks. The next four teams match the coach’s vote.

Tight ending Marshal Martin was repeated as an all-Big Sky pre-season pick. The youngster won the all-conference first team title and the all-American title last season after catching a team-high 53 passes for 649 yards and six touchdowns.

Wide receiver Pierre Williams, who was twice named to the first team of the All-Big Sky (2019, 2021) having won the all-around title before the second season. Last fall, Williams led the Hornets with 764 yards receiving over 50 receptions. The man entering 2022 ranks fourth all-time at Sacramento State with 2,248 career yards received, fifth with 135 receptions and sixth with 15 touchdowns.

Brandon Weldon was named to the team for the pre-season conference for the first time in his career. Weldon has started every game over the past two seasons playing with the right man and having to defend. In 2021, Hornet Road paves the way for an offense with an average speed of 4.6 yards per dash and only 18 sacks allowed.

Kyle Sentkowski was named to the pre-season All-Big Sky team at the kicker. In 2021, Sentkowski is the All-American third team choice and Big Sky’s first team after a record season. During the year, he set a school season record with 21 goals on the field and was also a top scorer (102). Sentkowksi was 12 of 14 attempts to score on a pitch over 40 yards and was 39 of the PATs’ perfect 39.

Midfielder Asher O’Hara was named a pre-season All-Big Sky multi-player. O’Hara was first team unanimously selected across the entire Big Sky team as a versatile player after his first season at Sacramento State. He led the team with 667 yards of dash and nine hasty touchdowns and also passed for 899 yards and seven touchdowns.

UC Davis re-run Ulonzo Gilliam Jr., and Montana’s sub-midfielder Patrick O’Connell was selected as the BIg ​​Sky Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year.

Sacramento State will begin the 2022 season on Saturday, September 3, when it welcomes Utah Tech to Hornet Stadium.

2021 Big Sky Conference Preseason Team