Following a pair of exhibition contests last week, California State University, Sacramento officially kicks off the 2025 season on the road on Aug. 14, after press time, traveling to Pacific for a 7 p.m. start against the Tigers in Stockton. Photo courtesy of Sacramento State Athletics

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) -  California State University, Sacramento senior defender Sydney Sharts and junior midfielder Ellie Farber were among 12 student-athletes named to the preseason All-Big Sky Conference team while the reigning league tournament champion Hornets were picked to finish tied for fourth, according to a vote of the conference's head coaches on Aug. 11.

Picking up one of the nine first-place votes and 39 points overall, Sacramento State was tied for the spot with Northern Arizona for the fourth spot. Reigning regular season champion Montana was picked to repeat, receiving six first-place votes and 60 points overall to finish ahead of Eastern Washington (52 points, two first-place votes) and Idaho (49 points) in the Top Three.

Weber State in sixth, Northern Colorado in seventh, Portland State in eighth, and Idaho State in ninth rounded out the poll.

Meanwhile, Sharts and Farber were among the inaugural group of Big Sky standouts to pick up honors from the coaches, named to the inaugural preseason all-conference squad. 

Sharts was an All-Big Sky first-team selection and earned a spot on the league's all-tournament team after helping the Hornets to the title. The senior started 19 of the team's 20 contests in her first season in the green and gold, finishing the year with a pair of goals against Idaho State and Weber State en route to league player of the week honors on Oct. 8.

Farber, an All-Big Sky honorable mention choice and all-tournament team member, is the team's leading returning scorer after scoring three goals and adding three assists a season ago. Farber enters this season ranked in the Top 10 among active Big Sky players in shots (68), shots per game (1.74) and assists (6), while her six assists and 12 points are the most among returning Hornets.

Following a pair of exhibition contests last week, Sacramento State officially kicks off the 2025 season on the road on Aug. 14, after press time, traveling to Pacific for a 7 p.m. start against the Tigers in Stockton.

The 2025 Big Sky conference preseason coaches’ poll included Montana with six first-place votes for a total of 60 points, Eastern Washington with two first-place votes and a total of 52 points, Idaho with a total of 49 points, tied for fourth is Sacramento State with one first-place vote and Northern Arizona for a total of 39 points each, Weber State for a total of 27 points, Northern Colorado for a total of 26 points, Portland State for a total of 22 points and Idaho State for a total of 10 points.

The 2025 preseason All-Big Sky Conference team includes F: Chloe Pattison, Eastern Washington (Preseason MVP); F: Micala Boex, Northern Arizona; F: Aliayha Saldana, Portland State; M: Annika Farley, Idaho; M: Chloe Seelhoff, Montana; M: Maddie Ditta, Montana; M: Ellie Farber, Sacramento State; D: Izzy Thoma, Idaho; D: Ally Henrikson, Montana; D: Liv Frazier, Portland State; D: Sydney Sharts, Sacramento State; and GK: Bayliss Flynn, Montana.