HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Washington was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 North and Washington State was selected fourth in a preseason poll of media members, the conference announced Thursday morning.
The Huskies received eight first-place votes from the 33 media members polled, and four votes to win the Pac-12 championship.
The selections mark the highest preseason placing for both programs since the conference expanded to 12 teams (and split into two divisions) in 2011. Previously, the Huskies were selected to finish third on three occasions (in 2011, ’12 and ’14); the Cougars have never been projected higher than fifth (2012, ’14, ’15) in the media poll.