The Carroll College women's basketball team will open the season this weekend as the No. 8 team in the nation.

The Union University (Tenn.) team is the favorite in the 2008-09 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll. The Lady Bulldogs received nine first place votes and 279 total points.

The 2007-08 National Champion, Vanguard (Calif.) received the other three first place votes and compiled 274 total points for the second spot.

Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) and Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.), the other two final-four teams from last year's tournament, received 263 and 254 points respectively at No. 3 and No. 4. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) earned 238 points and came in at No. 5. No. 6 Azusa Pacific (Calif.), No. 7 Lee (Tenn.), No. 8 Carroll (Mont.), No. 9 Lambuth (Tenn.) and Oklahoma Baptist rounded out the top-10.

"The Frontier Conference is well represented in the preseason top 25," Said Carroll women's head coach Shawn Nelson. "With three teams in the top 16 and two others receiving votes. Our league is quickly becoming one of the premier leagues in the NAIA."

Carroll advanced to the "Elite Eight" at last season at the NAIA National Tournament and was ranked 13th in the nation at the end of the 2007-08 regular season.

The Saints, who were ranked second in the Frontier Conference coaches preseason poll, open the season this weekend as they host the Carroll Classic Friday and Saturday.

Big Sky women's soccer

The University of Montana women's soccer team will have a chance to clinch a berth in the Big Sky Conference championship playoffs if Sacramento State ties or loses at Portland State on Friday.

The fourth-ranked Grizzlies (3-2-1) cannot host the playoff game because PSU leads the conference, has clinched a berth in the Big Sky playoffs and holds a tiebreaker over Montana.

The Grizzlies were absent from the playoffs last season, but have been placed back in the running thanks, in part, to Lauren Christian. The freshman from Missoula scored two goals as Montana picked up a 3-2 victory over Northern Colorado Friday and a 1-1 tie with Northern Arizona on Sunday.

Big Sky Volleyball

Northern Colorado's volleyball team has solidified itself as the top team in Big Sky play after beating Montana and Montana State over the weekend to take an 8-2 mark on the season.

The Grizzlies, Wildcats and Lumberjacks are in a three-way tie for fifth place, all with 5-5 records.

MSU (0-10) is last of the nine conference teams.