SEATTLE (Nov. 1) – Although not the overwhelming favorite of the past two years, Seattle Pacific University has once again been installed as the women’s basketball team to beat in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The Falcons, ranked No. 10 in a national preseason poll, received six of 10 first-place votes from the GNAC coaches. Western Washington finished a close second in the overall balloting, 101-97.

SPU has cruised to the GNAC title each of the past three seasons, winning 53 of 54 conference games and going 89-5 overall while making two trips to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Last year, it advanced to the national championship game and finished 30-3.

New coach Julie van Beek inherits eight letterwinners, including four starters. Carli (Smith) Grant was an all-conference selection and led the GNAC in rebounding while Mandy Wood was the team’s No. 2 scorer. Center Brittney Kroon led the league in both field-goal percentage and blocked shots.

Seattle Pacific plays its only preseason game Nov. 12 at Gonzaga. The first regular season game is Nov. 15 versus Northwest University in Brougham Pavilion.

GNAC Women's Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Seattle Pacific (6)     30-3   101 
2. Western Washington (4)  24-5    97 
3. Central Washington     17-10    81 
4. Saint Martin’s          22-7    63 
5. Humboldt State         12-15    54 
6. Northwest Nazarene      9-18    47 
7. Seattle                 9-18    45 
8. Alaska Fairbanks       13-14    31 
9. Alaska Anchorage        9-18    30 
10. Western Oregon         5-22    11

(Note: First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on a 11-9-8-7-6-5-4--3-2-1 basis).