GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The University of North Dakota softball team received two first-place votes but were edged by Utah Valley in the 2011 Great West Conference softball coaches preseason poll who picked the Sioux to finish second.

Utah Valley received two first-place votes and a total of 13 points. North Dakota and South Dakota were close behind with 12 and 11 points, respectively, with the defending champion Fighting Sioux receiving the other two first-place votes. Houston Baptist rounded out the poll with four points.

The 2011 Great West Conference champion will be crowned at the GWC Softball Tournament held May 15-16, at Vermillion, S.D., and will be hosted by South Dakota. Houston Baptist will host a cluster event to determine GWC tournament seeding on March 25-27, at Farmers Branch, Texas.

-GO SIOUX-