First games...
Tue., Nov. 14, 7 p.m. -- WOMEN'S BASKETBALL at PORTLAND (Exhibition), Chiles Center, Portland, Or.
Fri.-Sat., Nov. 17-18 -- WOMEN'S BASKETBALL at WILDCAT CLASSIC, Nicholson Pavilion, Ellensburg, Wa.
Fri., Nov. 17 -- SEATTLE PACIFIC v NORTHWEST COLLEGE, 6 p.m. and Central Washington v Pacific (Or.), 8 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 18 -- SEATTLE PACIFIC v PACIFIC (OR.), 2 p.m. and Central Washington v Northwest College, 4 p.m.

Complete 2000 Schedule

They're ready to go...
Eight months after its exit from the NCAA tournament and hopefully four months away from its fifth straight trip to the playoffs, the Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team opens the 2000-01 season by facing the University of Portland in an exhibition game Nov. 14. Then comes the real thing, the regular-season openers at the Wildcat Classic, Nov. 17-18. The Falcons, coming off a 21-7 record, play Northwest College and Pacific University of Oregon. The Falcons' first home contest is Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 22, versus Southern Colorado.

PacWest favorites...
Last season, the Falcons made the first round of the NCAA tournament for the fourth year in a row, but were ousted in the first round by Montana State Billings. Western Washington won the West Regional and went on the NCAA Elite Eight, however the Falcons have been picked to succeed the Vikings as Pacific West Conference champion in the preseason coaches poll. During Coach Gordy Presnell's (13th year) tenure, the Falcons have averaged more than 21 wins and never posted a losing season.

Look out Balogh...
While Seattle Pacific lost two of its top three leading scorers, it still has plenty of remaining firepower, including two-time all-region, three-time all-conference forward Gus Balogh (Sr., 5-11, Szombathely, Hungary). Balogh ranked among the PacWest leaders in scoring (13.1) and led the team in free-throw percentage (.762) last year. Balogh already ranks No. 8 on the career scoring chart (1,147), and will likely land herself in the top three by season's end.

Rebuilding blocks...
Presnell's most pressing concerns in the offseason were finding replacements for all-conference post Ashley Miller ( 16.5) and guard Heidi Umthun (10.1), the team's No. 1 and No. 3 scorers. The return of center Jana Holme (Sr., 6-2, Tacoma, Wa./Wilson) not only compensates for Miller's departure, but also restores balance to the perimeter game. Holme, who suffered a broken left fibula prior to last season, averaged 10.5 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds in 1998-99. She also stepped outside to connect on 18 three-pointers. Freshman Valerie Gustafson (Fr., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills), a second team all-state selection, will further fortify the inside positions. For added outside range there is guard Brianne Prescott (Jr., 5-7, San Jose, Ca./Mitty/San Jose CC), who hit a school-record 140 treys as a sophomore.

Cornerstones remain...
Along with Balogh, the Falcons' other returning frontline starter is Liz Guppy (Jr., 6-3, Beaverton, Or./Westview), a two-year starter who ranks No. 3 in career blocked shots. Guppy averaged 8.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks last season. Kristen Poe (So., 5-9, Enumclaw, Wa.), who was the top-scoring non-starter (8.9) and No. 2 rebounder on the squad (7.5), should challenge for a starting spot as well. At point guard, Kerie Hughes (So., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa./Mr. Vernon) and Becka Beard (So., 5-4, Bremerton, Wa./King's West) split duty running the offense last season. Hughes started 22 games and was the team leader and ranked among the PacWest leaders in steals (2.3) while Beard came off the bench to provide scrappy defense and averaged 2.9 points a game.

Improved cast members...
Presnell said his freshmen of last season have come back as much stronger sophomores. Reserve forward/guard Stephanie Urrutia (So., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa.) gave the team a lift late last season from the outside. Urrutia averaged 16.4 minutes and 5.7 points as a rookie. Stacie Lukkes (So., 6-0, Kent, Wa./Kentwood) will rotate into the post after averaging 2.0 points her first season. Kirsten Daniel (Sr., 5-8, Florence, Or./Siuslaw) played in 27 of 28 games and was solid on defense.

Scheduling notes...
Seattle Pacific plays seven of its first 11 regular season contests on the road, and begins PacWest in December with a crucial two games with Western Washington. In all, Seattle Pacific will play 22 PacWest games, including a pair with new conference members, Northwest Nazarene and Seattle University. The winner of the PacWest receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Next season the Falcons and nine other Northwest schools will leave the PacWest to form a new conference.

Series, opponent notes...
Portland leads the series with Seattle Pacific 6-0, although the two teams have not met since 1982-83. The Pilots, although returning four starters from a 21-10 team, have been picked to finish fifth in the West Coast Conference. The last time an SPU team defeated a Div. I program was Portland State on the road in 1996-97...The Falcons lead in the series with Northwest College 16-0, and are tied in the series with Pacific, 2-2...The Falcons have not lost at Nicholson Pavilion since the 1991-92 season when the Falcons finished 17-13.

Put-backs...
Ann Berberian (Fr., 5-7, Seattle, Wa./Blanchet), an all-Metro League selection as a senior, joins the backcourt as a reserve after graduating from Blanchet High School, the state runner-up in 2000...New to the coaching staff this season is Gena (Pelz) Dalan, who played at Washington from 1995-98. She joins fourth-year assistant Lynne DeYoung as an aid to Presnell.

Personnel notes...
No Player Yr-Exp Hgt '99-00 stats Hometown Notes
10 Ann Berberian Fr-HS 5-7 Seattle, Wa. All-Metro League at Blanchet
12 Becka Beard So-1V 5-4 2.9/1.5 reb Bremerton, Wa. Avg. 1.1 steals; started 7 at point
20 Kerie Hughes* So-1V 5-6 5.6/1.9 ast Mount Vernon, Wa. Avg. 2.3 steals; started 22 at point
22 Kirsten Daniel Sr-2V 5-7 1.9/0/9 reb Florence, Or. Played in 27 games
23 Brianne Prescott Jr-TR 5-7 18.0 San Jose, Ca. All-America, 140 3-ptrs at San Jose CC
24 Stephanie Urrutia So-1V 5-9 5.6/2.0 reb Sunnyside, Wa. Avg. 16.4 minutes, playing all 28 games
30 Stacie Lukkes So-1V 6-0 2.0/2.1 reb Kent, Wa. Avg. 87.6 minutes, playing in all 28 games
31 Kristin Poe* So-1V 5-8 9.0/7.7 reb Enumclaw, Wa. No. 2 rebounder, 6th man as frosh
32 Jana Holme* Sr-3V 6-1 10.5/6.8 reb Tacoma, Wa. Top rebounder, No. 3 scorer in '98-99
33 Gus Balogh* Sr-3V 5-11 13.1/3.7 reb Szombathely, Hungary 3-time all-conference ; No. 8 career scorer
40 Liz Guppy* Sr-3V 6-3 8.1/5.9 reb Beaverton, Or. Avg. 1.9 blocks, shot 49% last season
42 Valerie Gustafson Fr-HS 6-0 19.5 Olympia, Wa. 2nd team all-state at Black Hills
*projected starters
Coach: Gordy Presnell (Northwest Nazarene '83) 13th year (282-117) PacWest coach of the year in '97 & '98