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Logan • The Utah State women's basketball team has been picked to finished ninth in the Mountain West Conference, according to the league's preseason poll of coaches and media released Wednesday.

Colorado State, the defending regular-season champion, was picked first with 237 points in the voting. New Mexico was second with 221 points. The Aggies ended up with 79 points in the poll, one ahead of No. 10 Nevada.

Utah State guard Funda Nakkasoglu, the reigning Mountain Freshman of the Year, was selected to the all-MWC preseason team. She is the first Aggie to be honored since USU became members of the conference.

Joining Nakkasoglu on the all-conference team are Boise State guard Brooke Pahukoa, Colorado State guard Ellen Nystrom, New Mexico forward Khadijah Shumpert and Wyoming guard Marquell Dent.

Dent was named the preseason Player of the Year.

Utah State opens its season Saturday at 2 p.m. with an exhibition game against South Dakota School of Mines. The regular-season begins Nov. 14 against Sacramento State, also in the Spectrum.

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The 2015-16 Mountain West Conference women's basketball preseason poll, with first-place votes and point totals:

1. Colorado State (12), 237; 2. New Mexico (7), 221; 3. Boise State (6), 215; 4. Fresno State, 182; 5. UNLV, 138; 6. San Diego State, 135; 7. Wyoming, 125; 8. San Jose State, 93; 9. Utah State, 79; 10. Nevada, 78; 11. Air Force, 26.

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The all-Mountain West Conference preseason first team:

Funda Nakkasoglu (Utah State); Brooke Pahukoa (Boise State); Ellen Nystrom (Colorado State); Khadijah Shumpert (New Mexico); Marquelle Dent (Wyoming).

Player of the Year: Dent

Newcomers of the Year: Stephanie Schmid (Nevada) and Dezz Ramos (San José State)

Freshman of the Year: Jannon Otto (New Mexico)

— Steve Luhm