Preseason drama. The conference coaches did their part to set the stage for a dramatic start to the 2002-03 schedule. In their annual preseason poll, all 10 coaches gave their first-place vote to either SPU or Western Washington, creating a virtual toss-up atop the GNAC with the two schools taking five votes apiece. The Falcons finished with one more total point, 100-99.

"It's a unique situation where both programs are peaking at the same time," said Coach Gordy Presnell. "We are very aware of how good Western is and know that they have the best chance of keeping us from our first goal-winning the conference championship."

Once again Seattle Pacific is receiving national attention with a No. 15 ranking in both the USA Today/WBCA and Division II Bulletin preseason polls. Western Washington is No. 10 in the coaches poll. North Dakota State and Cal Poly Pomona (No. 4), the defending NCAA champion, are the other nationally-ranked teams on the noticeably strengthened schedule. Eight of the first 10 games are on the road.

Looking back...briefly. One of Presnell's messages to his nine returnees is to learn from last season's mistakes, yet not dwell on the past. By most program's standards, the campaign SPU put together in 2001-02 would be considered a smashing success. It went 22-6, finished second in the GNAC and reached the NCAA Division II tournament for the sixth straight season. But Presnell feels his team simply ran out of gas down the stretch, both physically and mentally.

"I was pleased with our effort at the end of the regular season, but it was obvious in the postseason that we were not in good shape physically and our chemistry was lacking," he said.

Center of attention. Five starters from last season's club return this year, but one stands out above the rest. Center Kelley Berglund (Jr., 6-3, Port Angeles, Wa./Washington State) was an all-region selection and the GNAC newcomer of the year last season after leading the team in scoring (16.0) and establishing school records for field-goal percentage in a season (.569) and single game (14-14). She also hauled down 7.9 rebounds per game. Berglund's fellow frontliners aren't too shabby either. Kristin Poe (Jr., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa./Enumclaw) is perhaps the team's best all-around athlete, top rebounder (8.1) and strongest on-ball defender. Valerie Gustafson (So., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills) returns in the best shape of her career at the power forward slot and Presnell says she is poised for a breakout campaign.

Backcourt deluxe. For the past three seasons, Kerie Hughes (Jr., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa./Mt. Vernon) and Stephanie Urrutia (Jr., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa./Sunnyside) have built a reputation as one of the most respected backcourt tandems in the region. This season the duo has plans of advancing past the regional tournament and making a run at a handful of individual career records. Hughes, the point guard, enters this season as the career leader in free-throw percentage (.818) and with a good chance to finish among the top five in assists, steals and three-point shooting. Urrutia, a fixture on the wing, could possibly crack the top 10 all-time scorers. And there's precious little dropoff when Presnell goes to his backcourt bench. Michelle Beaumont (So., 5-11, Bellingham, Wa./Sehome), an exceptional perimeter shooter, is coming off a sensational freshman season in which she averaged 8.5 points in 16.4 minutes per game. Trisha Hermanson (So., 5-6, Buckley, Wa./White River), expected to become eligible in January, averaged 2.4 assists in her first year as understudy to Hughes.

The difference. If Presnell hopes to keep his first five in top condition through the regular season, he'll have to have significant production from his bench. Although she's been hampered by an Achilles strain, Stacie Lukkes (Sr., Kent, Wa./Kentwood) will likely be the first post player off the bench. Next will be Carli Smith (Fr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian), the two-time state B level player of the year. Smith is one of only 21 players in state history to score over 2000 career points, but Presnell is more impressed with her rebounding skills. Mandy Wood (Fr., 5-7, Port Angeles, Wa./Port Angeles) also figures to play into the picture, particularly when the team's needs an offensive push. Brittney Kroon (Fr., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak./Wasilla) is on her way to becoming the only athlete to ever compete at the collegiate level after receiving a liver transplant last spring. Kroon, cleared to begin activity in midsummer, has been gaining strength while also experiencing periodic effects from the surgery. She appears poised to become a contributor off the bench, albeit in spurts at first.

Put-backs. Portland won last year's exhibition encounter, 84-75, with Beaumont and Berglund scoring 15 and 14, respectively. The Pilots were paced by Khalila O'Rielly-Williams, who scored 26. She is one of seven returnees from a 13-15 squad...The early signing period for national letters of intent is Nov. 13-20...SPU will host a tournament for the first time in three seasons. The Falcon Classic, held over Thanksgiving weekend, brings Pacific Lutheran, Westmont and Western Washington to Brougham Pavilion...There will be a 34-day break between home games as the team is on the road for all five games in December. GNAC play begins Dec. 5 at Humboldt State...Lynne DeYoung, Presnell's assistant from 1997-02, is now head coach at Chico State...Poe will begin the year needing only 68 rebounds to break into the career top 10...Emily Faurholt, who averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 boards as a freshman, transferred to Idaho.

SPU Coaches. Coach Gordy Presnell reached the 300-victory milestone last season and has never registered a losing season in 15 years at the helm of the Seattle Pacific University basketball program. He took a team that had not recorded a winning record in nine seasons or earned a trip to the postseason and transformed it into a Division II powerhouse. During his tenure, the Falcons have averaged more than 20 wins per season and qualified for the playoffs 11 times, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1998. Joining Presnell's staff this season are two former University of Oregon players. Lindsey Dion served as a volunteer graduate assistant last season when the Ducks won the WNIT title. She played on Oregon's Pac-10 championship team in 2000 and was co-captain of another NCAA tournament team in 2001. Jamie Craighead completed her career last season as Oregon's leader in three-pointers and started all 35 games, averaging 7.9 points.

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.