Tough start. The Seattle Pacific University volleyball team begins its quest for a fifth straight 20-win season and third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs this week with four matches at the Coyote Classic hosted by Cal State San Bernardino. The Falcons, who were 20-8 last season, will face three teams ranked among the top 25 in the nation, including 7th-ranked and host Cal State San Bernardino in Friday afternoon's (Aug. 30) opener. After playing Sonoma State later that night, SPU is pitted against No. 10 UC San Diego and No. 24 Cal State L.A. as the tourney wraps-up Saturday (Aug. 31).

Tourney tests. The 2002 schedule calls for the Falcons to play three more nonconference matches Sept. 6-7 in Bellingham before hosting Great Northwest Athletic Conference defending champion and 19th-ranked Western Washington in the home and conference opener Sept. 14. The Vikings are heavy favorites to repeat their title while Seattle Pacific has been picked to finish fourth in the GNAC preseason poll, behind Central Washington and Alaska Anchorage. In all, there will be nine home matches, including four in a row during mid-October.

Late addition. Having lost four starters from the 2001 season, the Falcons received some welcome news last week when all-Atlantic Region selection Monica Herrera (Jr., Lima, Peru) transferred from New York's Mercy College. Herrera, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter, led the nation in service aces per game (1.65) last season at Mercy College in New York. She was also among the leaders in kills average at 4.65 and her attacking percentage was .302. Mercy went 34-2, won its conference and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinal round.

Ryan era truly begins. Losing such a talented group of players after last season presents third-year Coach Kellie Ryan with her most daunting challenge do date, yet one she welcomes with open arms.

"When I took over the program in 2000, I was handed the most talented group of athletes the school had ever known," said Ryan, who has a career record of 44-14.

Her predecessor, JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner, recruited the bulk of Ryan's first two teams which she guided to a pair of postseason berths. This season is Ryan's first opportunity to coach a roster comprised predominantly of her own recruits.

"This will be first year for me to implement my own coaching system, which is exciting."

Core of the crop. Of Ryan's four returnees, Carri Colvin (Sr., Vancouver, Wa./Prairie) and Katy Higgins (Jr., Redmond, Wa./Redmond) are the only regular starters. Colvin appeared in 96 of 108 games last season, finishing second on the team in defense at 3.0 digs per game, and averaging 1.9 kills. Higgins finished second among GNAC setters with 11.85 assists per game last season and appeared in the most games (107).

"Both Carri and Katy have already stepped out of the shadows of the seniors that graduated to provide this young team with the leadership it needs in practice, and I expect to see it continue throughout the season," said Ryan.

The other holdovers are reserve setter and defensive specialist Andrea Dettorre (Jr., Brush Prairie, Wa./Prairie), outside hitter Katy Kravitz (Jr. Olympia, Wa./Olympia) and redshirt Andra Taylor (Jr., Camas, Wa./Camas-Mount Hood CC).

Promising newbies. A trio of long and strong additions to the roster this season will help power the offense in 2002. In addition to the newly-acquired middle blocker Herrera, Ryan signed outside hitter Chelsey Myers (Fr., Minden, Nv./Douglas) and transfers Andrea Pennington (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Bellingham-Whatcom CC) and Kathleen Monda (So., Woodinville, Wa./Washington State). All four could be in the opening-match lineup. Myers earned all-conference honors for two consecutive seasons and led her high school team to a league championship in Nevada. Pennington led her junior college in kills and digs for the past two seasons while Monda played sparingly as a freshman at Washington State.

The best defense. The Falcons lost four starters, including two of the best attackers in program history, all-region selection Leah Wiiest and career kills and digs leader Leilani Kamahoahoa. Ryan says the squad will focus on serve/receive, ball control and defense this season

"As a coach, I focus first and foremost on defense because that is the main ingredient to winning," said Ryan.

Opponents. Ryan could have the toughestopening-weekend schedule in the nation. Cal State San Bernardino is the reigning CCAA champ and UC San Diego won the regional tournament last fall. Both teams return five starters. The Falcons fell to the Coyotes in the 2000 NCAA tournament, the two teams' only previous meeting.

"We know that we are throwing the team to the dogs in the preseason, but we hope it will show them what it takes to reach regionals," said Ryan.

SPU trails UCSD 2-0 in the series, dormant since 1989, and is 2-3 versus Sonoma and 3-1 against Cal State L.A. Sonoma, now nicknamed the Seawolves, is coming off a 22-11 season and returns four starters, as does L.A....Seattle Pacific is 7-9 in opening matches, including 1-1 under Ryan, whose team went 7-1 to begin last season. Quick sets. Transfer Elizabeth Bishop (So., Tabernash, Col./Midwestern St.) and Stacia Willson (So., Colfax, Wa.) round out the six new players on the roster. Bishop is a transfer from Midwestern State in Texas. Willson is a walk-on who was second team all-state in high school after leading Colfax to the 2000 state 1A title...Dettorre and Kravitz, if not starters, figure to hold key reserve roles, however Dettorre is doubtful to see action this week due to a knee injury suffered in training...This marks the first season that the collegiate game uses the libero, a designated back-row-only player with unlimited entries each game. Liberos will wear a special jersey and cannot serve, attempt to block or attack above the net.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.