Both of the University of the Fraser Valley basketball teams will begin the regular season near the top of the CIS national rankings.
The Cascades women were No. 3 in the first coaches' poll of the season released Tuesday, behind the two-time defending national champ Windsor Lancers and Canada West rival Regina Cougars. The No. 4 and 5 teams, respectively, are the Carleton Ravens and the Saint Mary's Huskies.
The UFV men's squad, coming off a fourth-place finish at nationals last season, open at No. 4. The teams ahead of them are defending CIS champ Carleton, the UBC Thunderbirds and the Acadia Axemen.
The Cascades embark on the Canada West regular season on the road this weekend, as they face the Mount Royal Cougars, a conference newcomer, on Saturday and Sunday in Calgary.