Two days before the start of practices, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team found a source of motivation.

The Rainbow Warriors were picked to finish sixth in the nine-team Western Athletic Conference in two preseason polls released yesterday.

The 'Bows — under first-year head coach Bob Nash — were picked sixth by both the WAC coaches and WAC media.

"Now we have a selling point for our players," Nash said. "This is what the media and the other coaches in the WAC think of us. Do you want to believe it, or do you want to exceed it?"

Hawai'i returns seven players from last season's team that finished 18-13 overall and tied for fifth place in the WAC at 8-8.

The WAC coaches picked Utah State first and New Mexico State second. The WAC media picked New Mexico State first and Utah State second.

Nash said he voted New Mexico State first.

"I think those are the top two teams based on personnel coming back and transfers coming in," Nash said. "But the consensus of the coaches is that there's a little more parity in the league than before. There's no team that's head and shoulders above the rest, so it should make for an exciting season."

Nevada, the four-time defending WAC champion, was picked third in both polls.

Utah State's Jaycee Carroll was selected the Preseason Player of the Year by both the coaches and media. The 6-foot-2 senior guard led the WAC in scoring last season with 21.3 points per game.

No Hawai'i players were picked to the Preseason All-WAC first team, but the coaches selected Bobby Nash to the second team. Nash, a 6-6 guard/forward, averaged 11.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season.

The WAC women's polls were also released yesterday. Hawai'i was picked to finish sixth by the media and coaches.

Defending champion Boise State was picked first in both polls.

Hawai'i forward Tanya Smith was selected to the Preseason All-WAC first team.

MEN'S COACHES PRESEASON POLL

1, Utah State (4) 58

2, New Mexico State (3) 57

3, Nevada (1) 53

4, Fresno State (1) 46

5, Boise State 34

6, Hawai'i 29

7 (tie), Louisiana Tech 17

7 (tie), San Jose State 17

9, Idaho 13

PRESEASON ALL-WAC

First team: Jaycee Carroll, Sr., G, Utah State; Justin Hawkins, Jr., G/F, New Mexico State; Marcelus Kemp, Sr., G, Nevada; Reggie Larry, Sr., F, Boise State; Fred Peete, Jr., G, New Mexico State.

Second team: Kevin Bell, Sr., G, Fresno State; Hector Hernandez, Sr., F, Fresno State; Demarshay Johnson, Sr., F, Nevada; Matt Nelson, Sr., F, Boise State; Bobby Nash, Sr., G, Hawai'i.

Player of the Year: Jaycee Carroll.

MEN'S MEDIA PRESEASON POLL

1, New Mexico State (13) 255

2, Utah State (10) 250

3, Nevada (7) 239

4, Fresno State 208

5, Boise State 175

6, Hawai'i 151

7, Louisiana Tech 104

8, San Jose State 91

9, Idaho 57

PRESEASON ALL-WAC

Kevin Bell, Sr., G, Fresno State; Jaycee Carroll, Sr., G, Utah State; Justin Hawkins, Jr., G/F, New Mexico State; Reggie Larry, Sr., F, Boise State; Marcelus Kemp, Sr., G, Nevada.

Player of the Year: Jaycee Carroll.

Newcomer of the Year: Herb Pope, Fr., F, New Mexico State.

WOMEN'S COACHES PRESEASON POLL

1, Boise State (7) 63

2, Nevada (1) 52

3, Louisiana Tech (1) 50

4, Fresno State 39

5, New Mexico State 35

6, Hawai'i 31

7, Utah State 28

8, San Jose State 15

9, Idaho 11

PRESEASON ALL-WAC

Dellena Criner, Jr., G, Nevada; Sherell Neal, Sr., F, New Mexico State; Tanya Smith, Sr., F, Hawai'i; Jessica Thompson, Jr., G, Boise State; Tierre Wilson, Sr., G, Fresno State.

Player of the Year: Jessica Thompson.

WOMEN'S MEDIA PRESEASON POLL

1, Boise State (9) 128

2, Louisiana Tech (2) 109

3, Nevada (1) 98

4, New Mexico State (2) 94

5, Fresno State (1) 85

6, Hawai'i 63

7, Utah State 46

8, Idaho 27

9, San Jose State 25

PRESEASON ALL-WAC

Dellena Criner, Jr., G, Nevada; Sherell Neal, Sr., F, New Mexico State; Katie Madison, So., F, Idaho; Jessica Thompson, Jr., G, Boise State; Tierre Wilson, Sr., G, Fresno State.

Player of the Year: Jessica Thompson.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.