SPU Women Dominate GNAC Postseason Honors
March 10, 2003

SEATTLE (Mar. 10) -- In keeping with its dominating performance throughout the women's basketball regular season, Seattle Pacific University won most of the top postseason awards from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, including Kerie Hughes' player of the year award.

Hughes (Sr., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa.), a point guard, was a unanimous first team all-conference selection by the coaches. She's averaging 12.4 points, 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals for the No. 1-ranked and undefeated (27-0) Falcons, who host the NCAA Division II West Regional beginning Friday in Brougham Pavilion. SPU faces Chico State in the final first-round game at 7:30. Hughes is the third SPU conference player of the year, joining Linda Johnson (1988) and Gus Balogh (2001).

Joining Hughes on the first team is center Kelley Berglund (Sr., 6-3, Port Angeles, Wa.), a repeat selection. Berglund is the team's top scorer (13.5) and rebounder (8.4). Stephanie Urrutia (Sr., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa.) received honorable mention.

Carli Smith (Fr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian) earned Freshman of the Year. She averaged 8.6 points and was seventh in GNAC rebounding (7.4).

Gordy Presnell was voted Coach of the Year by his peers after guiding the team to its first unbeaten regular season and the conference title. He was also coach of the year in 1995, '97, '98 and '01.

GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

First Team
*Kerie Hughes, Seattle Pacific Guard 5-6 Sr. Mt. Vernon, WA
Kamie Jo Massey, Alaska Anchorage Guard 5-9 Jr. Payson, Utah
Alysson Kollmann, Northwest Nazarene Guard 5-10 Sr. Nampa, ID
*Stacey Miller, Western Washington Forward 5-11 Sr. Bellingham, WA
+Kelley Berglund, Seattle Pacific Center 6-3 Sr. Port Angeles, WA

Second Team
Heidi Arts, Alaska Fairbanks Center 6-2 Sr. Valdez, AK
Cody Burgess, Alaska Fairbanks Forward 5-10 Jr. Wenatchee, WA
Meggen Kautzky, Central Washington Guard 5-7 Sr. Richland, WA
Nicole Lynch, Humboldt State Center 6-2 So. Danville, CA
Alana Erickson, Saint Martin's Guard 5-8 Sr. Onalaska, WA
Kristin Connolly, Seattle Forward 5-10 Jr. Mercer Island, WA

Honorable Mention
Lindsay Weiss, Central Washington (Forward, 5-9, Jr., Goldendale, WA); Heidi Buehler, Northwest Nazarene (Guard, 5-8, Jr., Tigard, OR); Lisa Bocook, Saint Martin's (Guard, 5-8, Sr., Onalaska, WA); Martina Kartikova, Saint Martin's (Forward, 6-0, So., Kosice, Slovakia); Stephanie Urrutia, Seattle Pacific (Guard, 5-9, Sr., Sunnyside, WA); Serenity Ragone, Western Oregon (Center, 6-0, So., Silverton, OR); Susan Rodgers, Western Washington (Center, 6-6, So., Gig Harbor, WA); Jenn McGillivray, Western Washington (Forward, 5-11, Jr., Salem, OR); Megan Quarterman, Western Washington (Guard, 5-9, Sr., Granite Falls, WA).