Tourney material. Although next season is still many months away, the Seattle Pacific University volleyball team has the look of an NCAA 2005 tournament team on paper. The Falcons will bring back four starters and four other key players from a squad which won eight of its final 11 matches and finished 15-11. SPU, which made the Division II playoffs in 2000 and ‘01, remained under postseason consideration until the final week of the season and achieved its best Great Northwest Athletic Conference placement in three years.

Momentum builder. Coach Kellie Ryan has plenty of positive momentum going into the spring and fall, and during the second half of the season Seattle Pacific seemed to grow more confident with each outing. After absorbing hits from five tournament-bound teams in the early stages of the season, the young squad first reeled off three straight sweeps and later dropped just one game during a four-match win streak. The Falcons split with Western Washington, the GNAC runner-up, and earned a road victory over Cal Poly Pomona, which later made the Pacific Regional.

Let’s get defensive. A big factor in the successful run during October and November was the defensive game. SPU finished atop the GNAC in both blocking (2.41 per game) and opponents hitting percentage (.152). Among the returnees next autumn are Ryan’s two middles, Katie Ralph (Jr., Port Orchard, Wa./South Kitsap) and Whitney Dibble (So., Reno, Nv./Galena). Ralph, a first team all-GNAC selection, was the conference leader in blocks and her average of 1.15 was the program’s highest in eight seasons. Dibble was eighth in the GNAC, averaging 0.97. Meanwhile, on the back line, libero Tiffany Butac (So., Pearl City, Hi./Hawaii Baptist) broke the season mark for digs average at 4.68.

Experience counts. Despite the loss of two seniors, Ryan could put an experienced lineup on the floor right now. Not only are Ralph and Dibble due back in 2005, but so are fellow starters Jenna Von Moos (So., Stanwood, Wa.), a second team all-conference setter, and outside Chelsey Myers (Jr., Minden, Nv./Douglas), the kills leader. Alyssa Given (Fr., Salinas, Ca./Notre Dame), a part-time starter and the leader in service aces, will undoubtedly get more swings on the attack, as will fellow rookies Angie Wodrich (Fr., Richland, Wa./Richland) and Rachel Biornstad (Fr., Kent, Wa./Kentlake).

Seniors Jessica Bauder (left) and Kathleen Monda will be missed when play begins again next fall.

They’ll be missed. Still, there are some sizable shoes to fill with the graduation of Jessica Bauder (Sr., Richland, Wa./Richland) and Kathleen Monda (Sr., Woodinville, Wa./Woodinville-Washington St.). Bauder leaves as No. 2 in career service ace average (.386) and No. 5 in kills average (3.27). Monda was invaluable on the right side and finished this season among the squad’s top three in total kills, aces and assists.

Signed and sealed. During November’s early signing period, Ryan received a formal commitment from Sarah Mohr, a standout setter from Portland’s Central Catholic High School. Mohr, a 5-9 resident of Vancouver, Wa., is a two-time all-Mount Hood Conference selection and was voted to the Oregon state all-tournament team. The Rams fell to Jesuit for the Oregon 4A championship. They took third, fourth and sixth her first three seasons. Mohr also plays for the Nike Northwest Juniors. Ryan expects to sign two or three more recruits during the spring signing period, which begins April 13.

For the record. Several categories in the SPU record book are in need of a rewrite. Von Moos (10.00) moved ahead of predecessor Katy Higgins (9.67) in career assists average. Besides Bauder, other adjustments in top fives include Butac moving into No. 2 in digs average (3.85). For season marks, Butac’s total of 440 digs is No. 2 and Von Moos’ average of 10.78 assists is No. 5. Butac’s average eclipsed the old standard of 4.29, set by Nami Teramae in 1994.

Academically speaking. Ralph, Dibble and Shelby Gihiring (So., Kent, Wa./Kentlake) were named to the academic all-conference team. Ralph is a business major with a 3.53 grade point average. Dibble is a biology major with a 3.37 GPA, and Gihring, also a biology major, has a 3.42. All were a first-time recipients.

SPU coaches. In her first four seasons as a head coach, Kellie Ryan has guided the Falcons to new heights. Under Ryan, SPU earned its first two trips to the NCAA tournament and established a new record for consecutive wins (20) while equaling marks for most wins (24) and fewest losses (6) in a season. She entered Œ04 with a overall mark of 68-40. Ryan, whose past collegiate experience included two years under JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner at SPU (1994-95) and one year at Syracuse, was the Falcons' starting setter from 1989-91, earning all-conference honors as a senior. She remains the SPU record-holder for service aces (142) in a career and single match assists (83). Chris Johnson, assistant for Westmont College in Santa Barbara from 2001-2003, joins the SPU staff this season. Jim Woolace returns for his fourth season as an assistant.

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.