Conference

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The 2009-10 Big Sky Women’s Basketball season gets underway this weekend with all nine teams in action. Northern Colorado will be playing in its first-ever Preseason WNIT Tournament. The Bears open up tourney play against New Mexico in Albuquerque on Friday night in one of this week’s key games. Northern Colorado returns three starters from last year’s squad in Whitley Cox, Courtney Stoermer and Lizzie Cooper ... Weber State and Portland State kick off the season at home. The Vikings take on Pac 10 opponent Washington on Saturday afternoon in Portland, Ore. ... Portland State, which was picked No. 1 in the preseason poll for the first time in program history, returns three starters including two-time unanimous first team all-conference selection Claire Faucher ... The Wildcats host Dixie State on Friday before heading to Boise, Idaho for a meeting with the Broncos on Sunday. Weber State is one of just two teams that have all five starters back heading into the season; Eastern Washington is the other. The Eagles start the 2009-10 campaign on the road at Portland on Saturday, before returning home to host Oregon on Monday ... The Hornets begin their first year under new head coach Jamie Craighead at home. Sacramento State hosts Cal State Fullerton on Sunday ... The defending Big Sky Champion Montana faces two Mountain West teams this opening weekend. The Lady Griz, who return just two starters, are at Colorado State and Wyoming ... Montana State also hits the road to play at Cal State Bakersfield on Friday, before concluding the trip on Sunday against Pacific ... Northern Arizona and Idaho State head to California as well. The Lumberjacks play Pepperdine on Friday and UC Riverside on Sunday. The Bengals take on Saint Mary’s and Cal of the Pac 10 Conference.