SEATTLE (May 2) -- Packing the potential to score over 200 points and win at least a half-dozen events, the Seattle Pacific University women's track & field must still wonder if that's enough to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship Saturday in Bellingham's Civic Stadium. Competition gets underway beginning at 10 a.m.

The Falcons were decisive victors in the past two Pacific West Conference championships. They and the other eight PacWest track teams moved to the GNAC this season. Western Oregon, the runner-up by a wide margin, is expected to give SPU a much stronger foe this time around. The Wolves have won two men's conference titles.

"We could score at least 200 points," said SPU Coach Jack Hoyt, "but I believe Western Oregon could score 200 as well. It could be close."

If Seattle Pacific should prevail, it will be largely on the backs of its national-caliber multi-event performers. Stephanie Huffman, last year's athlete of the meet, combined with Laura Widman and Leah Wiiest to sweep the top three places of last week's GNAC heptathlon and give the Falcons an early 24-5 lead over Western Oregon. Huffman, Widman, Wiiest and Jennifer Pyeatt are each entered in five events Saturday, and Huffman owns the top qualifying marks in the 100-meter hurdles and long jump.

Among the SPU runners, Rachel Ross is vying to retain her conference crowns in the 800 and 1500 for the third successive year. The latter event pits Ross against Central Washington's Alicen Maier, owner of the No. 2 qualifying time in NCAA Division II.

Other national top-five qualifiers include Seattle Pacific's Jawea Harder in the 400 hurdles and Dionna Anderson, the defending champion in the shot put.

The Falcon men's team hopes to break 50 points and win a few events in the process. Paul Mach, a winner in the 400 hurdles as a freshman, is the top qualifier, as is Nathanael Castle in the 800 and the 1600 relay. Castle and Nathan Carlson of Saint Martin's have had a season-long battle in the 1500.

In all, the men have 12 entries across seven events, including four runners in the 800. The women have 46 entries covering all but two events. They have five competitors in the shot put and four each in the 800, 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles and long jump.

Seattle Pacific will host the final regular season meet, the Ken Foreman Invitational, May 11 at Husky Stadium. The NCAA Championships are May 23-25 in San Angelo, Tex.