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Softball picked eighth in WAC preseason poll

The coaches of the Western Athletic Conference picked Boise State University softball to finish eighth in the 2009 softball season. The first-year program received eight points in the preseason poll while Fresno State was picked to win the conference for the 12th time in its 14-year tenure in the WAC.

Fresno State was selected as the favorite with 48 points and six of the eight first-place votes. Nevada, last year’s regular season champion, edged out Hawai’i for second place with 40 points and a first place vote to Hawai’i’s 39 points and a first place vote.

Louisiana Tech, the 2008 tournament champion, tied for fourth with New Mexico State with 28 points. San Jose State was picked sixth with 21 points and Utah State was picked seventh with 12 points, only four votes ahead of the Broncos.

The season will kickoff in less than three weeks when the Broncos head to Cathedral City, Calif.

SI.com’s Stewart Mandel picks Broncos No.10 in early preseason rankings

2008 has been over for less than a month, but Stewart Mandel of SI.com has already announced his initial college football top 25 for the 2009 season and positioned Boise State University at No. 10.

Head coach Chris Petersen, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bronco program with an overall record of 35-4 (.897 percent), returns 13 starters from a team, which posted an undefeated regular season (12-0) and won its sixth Western Athletic Conference Championship in the past seven years.

In his article posted Jan. 20, Mandel mentioned the return of cornerback Kyle Wilson, quarterback Kellen Moore, running back Jeremy Avery, defensive end Ryan Winterswyk and safety Jeron Johnson as keys to Boise State’s success in 2009.

Broncos add junior college transfer

Winston Venable, a transfer from Glendale Community College, signed a national letter of intent with the Bronco football team and is enrolled in classes at Boise State University for the 2009 spring semester. Head coach Chris Petersen made the announcement Jan. 20.

The 6-0, 210-pound safety from San Rafael, Calif., Venable played the past two years at Glendale CC earning first team All-America and first team All-Arizona honors as a defensive back, and first team All-Western State Football League honors as a punter in 2008.

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