Season tips off at home. It took eight years for the Seattle Pacific women’s basketball team to book its second trip to the NCAA Elite Eight. The third trip may soon be underway. The Falcons, ranked as high as No. 3 nationally in preseason polls, begin the season at home in the Sodexho Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 19-20. SPU, coming off a 30-1 record last season, opens against Portland’s Warner Pacific (20-13) Friday (Nov. 19), followed by George Fox (13-12) Saturday (Nov. 20). Central Washington completes the tourney field. The schedule gets quickly grueling over thanksgiving weekend, when Seattle Pacific visits 7th-ranked North Dakota.

Recognition to go. Despite losing two key players from its conference and regional championship team, many outsiders again tout Seattle Pacific as the top team in the West. Winner of 60 consecutive regular-season games and 15 in a row at home, SPU is ranked No. 9 in the Division II Bulletin preseason poll and No. 3 in the Division II coaches poll. The Falcons are a unanimous pick to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference for the third year in a row. Western Washington is tabbed to be SPU’s toughest challenger, followed by Central Washington. The Falcons, who have won 42 straight conference games, open GNAC play on Dec. 2 at home against Alaska Anchorage.

Full-court Presnell. The two-time national coach of the year, Gordy Presnell, has sufficiently restocked his roster after losing All-American forward Valerie Gustafson and inspirational leader Kristin Poe to graduation. Some key returnees have earned elevated roles while Presnell also brought in some recruits who could contribute immediately. The coach also sought to upgrade his schedule and did so by booking non-conference road games with North Dakota, Chico State and Sonoma State, all NCAA tournament teams. SPU will also host regional runner-up and 25th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona Dec. 30.

Presence in the post. The Falcons could prove dominant inside the paint. SPU returns its top two rebounders from last season in Brittney Kroon (Jr., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.) and Carli Smith (Jr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian). The duo combined for nearly 15 points and 15 rebounds per game last year. Kroon also led the nation in blocked shots, averaging 4.4 per game and totaling a school-record 135. Presnell also addressed the loss of Gustafson and Poe by adding the state 3A player of the year, Quinn Brewe (Fr., 6-1, Edmonds, Wa./Meadowdale), plus transfer Autumn Fielding (So., 5-9, Kennewick, Wa.), a starter for Idaho two seasons ago. Brewe averaged 18.4 points and 12.9 rebounds while leading Meadowdale to the state title. The team’s most improved player is Rachel Strand (So., 6-2, Shoreline, Wa./King’s), and she figures to be an invaluable role player. Lexi Scharr (Fr., 6-4, Crookston, Mn.), averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per as a prep senior.

Wings, backcourt largely intact. Seattle Pacific largely stands pat on the perimeter. Point guard Amy Taylor (Sr., 5-7, Shoreline, Wa./Shorewood), the MVP of the West Regional, runs the offense, and has a host of passing options. Taylor is the team’s top returning scorer (11.0) and playmaker (4.4 assists). Beside her is Mandy Wood (Jr., 5-7, Port Angeles, Wa.), a threat both from beyond the arc and on the drive, who averaged 10.3 points off the bench. Michelle Beaumont (Sr., 5-11, Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) is a proven spot-up shooter on the wing. The Falcons have a trio of exceptional guards in Trisha Hermanson (Sr., 5-6, Buckley, Wa./White River), along with a pair of Enumclaw High School graduates Jenny Poe (Jr., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa.) and redshirt Beth Christensen (Fr., 5-5, Enumclaw, Wa.).

And one. Presnell announced that recruiting for 2005-06 is already well underway. Ashley Fenimore of Lynnwood’s Meadowdale High has signed a national letter of intent. Fenimore, a 5-7 senior guard, will be reunited with Brewe. Together, they led the Mavericks to a 26-1 record and the state 3A tournament championship. As a junior, Fenimore averaged 7.9 points and 6.8 assists, setting a school records for a single game, season and career assists. She was first team all-area and all-state, and was first team all-Wesco as a junior and sophomore.

Put-backs. Jessie Christensen (Fr., 5-9, Enumclaw, Wa.), younger sister of Beth, also joined the program and should see some playing time early, due to the questionable status of Smith. An ankle sprain has kept Smith from practicing the past few weeks...SPU scrimmaged both Portland and Gonzaga rather than play exhibition games in preseason... Last year, the Falcons established new school records for wins (30), consecutive wins (30), consecutive road wins (26, current), three-pointers made in a game (12) and season (229), three-pointers attempted in a season (578), most blocks in a game (13) and for highest final national ranking (No. 3).

Coaching Staff. For the second straight year, Gordy Presnell was voted the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s NCAA Division II Coach of the Year for 2004, along with conference and regional coach of the year honors. He has never registered a losing season in 17 years at the helm of the Seattle Pacific University basketball program, including back-to-back perfect records during the regular season the past two years. Presnell 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 21 wins per season and qualified for the playoffs 12 times, including Elite Eight appearances in both 1998 and 2004. Returning to Presnell’s staff for her third season is former University of Oregon player Jamie Craighead, who completed her career in 2002 as Oregon’s leader in three-pointers. During her final season, she started all 35 games, averaging 7.9 points.

Tickets, please. General admission tickets for all SPU home women’s basketball games are priced $5, with students, youth and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Reserved seating for doubleheaders with men’s games are $7 and $6. Teams or groups can qualify for discount rates by calling 206-281-2085 in advance.

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.