SEATTLE (August 18) ­ For the third year in a row, Seattle Pacific University is the unanimous favorite to win the women's soccer championship in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Unbeaten in 45 consecutive GNAC games, the Falcons seek their fifth straight league title in 2006. SPU got all six first-place votes in the preseason poll of coaches. Seattle University, the runner-up the past three years, has been chosen as the chief challenger.

Seattle Pacific is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II preseason poll and brings back five starters from the team which went 20-1-4 and advanced to the national championship game in 2005.

The season opens with three home games, beginning Aug. 24 versus Chico State at Interbay Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m. The first GNAC game is Sept. 13 at Western Oregon.

With Humboldt State's departure to the CCAA, the GNAC race is between six teams. Montana State Billings joins in 2007, and Saint Martin's is committed to adding women's soccer next season.

1.         Seattle Pacific (6)        36
2.         Seattle University         29
3.         Western Washington         25
4.         Central Washington         15
5.         Western Oregon             13
6.         Northwest Nazarene          8

(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).