SEATTLE (Nov. 8) ­Seattle Pacific University will start its women's basketball season as the No. 3 team in NCAA Division II, according to the first USA Today/ESPN coaches poll.

Washburn (Ks.), which defeated the Falcons (30-3) for the 2005 national championship, got the No. 1 ranking with 18 first-place votes. Drury (Mo.) was next, followed by SPU and Shaw (NC).

Seattle Pacific visits Gonzaga for a preseason exhibition Saturday (Nov. 12) and opens the regular season at home Nov. 15 against Northwest University.

It matches the highest preseason ranking for an SPU team. It also began last season at No. 3. Two other nationally-ranked teams‹No. 14 Western Washington and No. 16 Chico State‹are on the schedule this season.

Seattle Pacific was installed as the preseason favorite in the GNAC last week. It was No. 10 in a preseason poll conducted by the Division II Bulletin.

USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll
1. Washburn (Ks.) (18) 663
2. Drury (Mo.) (4) 611
3. Seattle Pacific 554
4. Shaw (NC) (1) 523
5. Charleston (WV) (1) 509
6. Merrimack (Ma.) 453
7. Grand Valley (Mi.) 442
8. North Dakota (2) 438
9. Emporia State (Ks.) (1) 392
10. Saint Cloud State (Mn.) 336
11. Bentley College (Ma.) 314
12. California (Pa.) 305
13. Anderson College (SC) 282
14. Western Washington 259
15. Henderson State (Ar.) 256
16. Chico State (Ca.) 252
17. Central Arkansas 240
18. Angelo State (Tx.) 230
19. Carson-Newman (Tn.) 222
20. Fairmont State (WV) 163
21. Lake Superior State (Mi.) 111
22. Valdosta State (Ga.) 111
23. Central Missouri State 100
24. Glenville State College (SC) 97
25. Regis (Co.) 96