Area roundup: WSU soccer starts season just outside top 25

The Washington State Cougars finished just outside the Top 25 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America preseason poll released Wednesday.

The Cougars were ranked 26th after setting or tying 28 school records last season when they were runners-up in the Pac-12 Conference with a 14-3-4 record.

Defending national champion UCLA and Standord were ranked in the top 10, while California and Colorado received votes in the poll.

• Eastern Washington Eagles senior Cassie Black has been named a College Sports Madness Preseason All-Big Sky second-team selection.

Black led the Eagles last season with four goals.

Men’s basketball

Idaho head coach Don Verlin and his Vandals will open the season at home against Eastern Oregon on Nov. 14 as they switch from the Western Athletic Conference to the Big Sky Conference this season.

The Vandals will play 29 regular-season games, including 14 at home and 18 games in the Big Sky.

Idaho will also host South Dakota State (Nov. 17), Northern Kentucky (Nov. 29) and UC Davis (Dec. 6) among its nonconference games.

Volleyball

The Washington State Cougars were picked to finish 11th in the Pac-12 Conference in a preseason vote of the conference’s coaches.

Stanford is the preseason favorites.