The preseason suspension of Idaho center Kyle Barone must have really hurt the Vandal men’s basketball team who have been picked to finish sixth and fifth in the coaches and media polls respectively.
The Vandal women’s team also slipped lower than we projected finishing fifth and sixth in the coaches and media polls respectively.
Three bright spots did arise from the polls though for the Vandals, with three players receiving all-WAC honors. For the men, Barone was picked as a first-team member in both polls after finishing last season as a second-team all-WAC selection. On the women’s team, junior forward Alyssa Charlston was a first-team selection in both polls, while sophomore guard Krissy Karr received second-team placement in both.
On the men’s side, the first-team selections rounded out with preseason Player of the Year Preston Medlin (Utah State), Raheem Appleby (Louisiana Tech), Daniel Mullings (New Mexico State) and Chris Udofia (Denver).
The women’s first-team included Player of the Year Devyn Christensen (Utah State), Whitney Frazier (Louisiana Tech), Diamond Ford (Texas State) and Kacie Sowell (Seattle U) along with Charlston.
Here are the complete coaches and media polls on both sides. What are your thoughts — too high, or two low?
2012-13 Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
| Rank | Teams (1st-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1 | New Mexico State (5) | 77 |
| 2 | Utah State (5) | 76 |
| 3 | Denver | 65 |
| 4 | Louisiana Tech | 54 |
| 5 | UT Arlington | 48 |
| 6 | Idaho | 45 |
| 7 | UTSA | 31 |
| 8 | Seattle U | 22 |
| 9 | San Jose State | 18 |
| 10 | Texas State | 14 |
2012-13 Preseason Men’s Basketball Media Poll
| Rank | Teams (1st-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1 | Utah State (15) | 232 |
| 2 | New Mexico State (8) | 223 |
| 3 | Denver (1) | 181 |
| 4 | Louisiana Tech | 162 |
| 5 | Idaho | 144 |
| 6 | UT Arlington (1) | 137 |
| 7 | UTSA | 104 |
| 8 | Seattle U | 77 |
| 9 | San Jose State | 61 |
| 10 | Texas State | 54 |
2012-13 Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll
| Rank | Teams (1st-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1 | Utah State (7) | 78 |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech (3) | 75 |
| 3 | Denver | 55 |
| 4 | Seattle U | 48 |
| 5 | Idaho | 47 |
| 6 | Texas State | 41 |
| 7 | San Jose State | 36 |
| 8 | New Mexico State | 27 |
| 9 | UTSA | 26 |
| 10 | UT Arlington | 17 |
2012-13 Preseason Women’s Basketball Media Poll
| Rank | Teams (1st-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1 | Utah State (9) | 165 |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech (4) | 145 |
| 3 | Denver (1) | 135 |
| 4 | Seattle U (2) | 111 |
| 5 | Texas State (1) | 105 |
| 6 | Idaho | 91 |
| 7 | San Jose State | 70 |
| 8 | UTSA | 59 |
| 9 | New Mexico State (1) | 56 |
| 10 | UT Arlington | 53 |