SAN FRANCISCO - For the second year in a row, Oregon is the pick of the Pac-12 coaches to win the conference title.

The two-time defending Pac-12 women’s basketball champions were a unanimous selection to win the conference crown once again in a poll released on Monday. The Ducks were also picked to win the title last season when they went 16-2 to claim the championship.

“I don’t think we really pay too much attention to that,” UO senior Sabrina Ionescu said. “I don’t think we shy away from it, but we use it as a positive to get better and hold each other to a high standard.”

With four returning starters back from a Final Four team, the Ducks may be the preseason No. 1 in national polls as well.

“We want to manage the expectations the best we can,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. “We want to ignore the noise because it is just noise. Some people agree that we should be ranked that high and some disagree, but it doesn’t matter. I think our team is veteran enough and smart enough to realize it doesn’t mean that much. It’s nice because it means we are really good and I think we are, but I don’t think it will affect them.”

Stanford was picked second with a first-place vote from Graves, who could not vote for his own team. Oregon State was third followed by UCLA as the conference could have four Top-10 teams in preseason polls.

“We know that we are really good, but also we know that we have to fight for it and the Pac-12 is the strongest conference, so we will have some really hard games,” UO junior Satou Sabally said. “We know that we have to earn it.”

Ionescu and Sabally are returning starters along with Ruthy Hebard and Erin Boley after the Ducks went 33-5 with a loss to Baylor in the national semifinals. Senior Minyon Moore, a grad transfer from USC, joins the team after averaging 14.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists last season.

RAISE THE RING

Oregon received its Final Four rings during UO’s 17-7 football win over California on Saturday at Autzen Stadium. The players could be seen on the videoboard with surprised looks when they first saw the rings.

“I’m laughing because we thought those rings were huge,” Sabally said. “We got them on our fingers and went ‘Wow’.”

Oregon players also have Pac-12 rings from the past two seasons.

“These were definitely a lot bigger than the Pac-12 rings,” Ionescu said. “We had no idea what they would look like so we were definitely surprised to see them.”

The Ducks received a loud ovation when they were introduced in the middle of the football game.

“We were obviously super excited because there were so many fans cheering us on despite them being there for football,” Sabally said. “They showed us so much love and we were so happy to have all the rings and the crowd, it was amazing.”

Graves tried to videotape the ceremony live for Twitter, but realized he forgot to turn on the sound.

“The applause they got was crazy,” he said.

SABALLY SITS OUT AGAIN

Nyara Sabally, Satou’s younger sister, will miss a second straight season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. She had surgery for the second season in a row.

“She’s doing OK, but it is obviously tough,” Satou Sabally said. “I’m really sad, but I’m just telling myself to play for her the year.”

The 6-foot-5 Nyara Sabally will begin her Oregon career next season.

“She’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Ionescu said. “She will continue to support us. She’s as important to us as anyone else is whether she is playing or not.”