GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Contact: Bob Guptill ( /Fax /

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1 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Contact: Bob Guptill ( /Fax / Report No. 10F (Nov. 1, 2006) Western Washington Favorite To Repeat, CWU Second In GNAC Poll Great Northwest Coaches Poll Pts 1. Western Washington (6) 27-2 (18-0) Central Washington (2) (9-9) Seattle Pacific (1) 24-6 (16-2) Seattle (9-9) Alaska Anchorage (6-12) Northwest Nazarene (11-7) Alaska Nanooks 7-19 ( 4-14) Saint Martin s 9-17 (5-13) Western Oregon 5-22 (2-16) 13 (Note: First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on a basis). SPOKANE The old favorites once again figure to be the top contenders in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women s basketball race. However, it is somewhat of a restart for the conference as only one first or second team all-star returns from last season Alaska Anchorage sophomore center Rebecca Kielpinski and two of the perennial favorites (Western Washington and Seattle Pacific) return just one starter apiece. Still, the Vikings, who reloaded by adding three Division I transfers, are the pre-season favorite in the GNAC Coaches pre-season poll, receiving six first-place votes. Central Washington, which returns a league-best nine letter winners, received two first-place votes and edged SPU, which received the lone remaining first-place vote, by two points in the balloting. All three teams, along with Seattle University, received votes in the WBCA pre-season national poll. WWU and Seattle Pacific are ranked 16 th and 24 th, respectively, while Seattle (36 th overall) and CWU (43 rd ) were among others receiving votes. According to at least one coach, the conference may be the most balanced it has ever been. From 1 through 9, it s the closest I ve seen it, CWU coach Jeff Whitney said. Kielpinski, who is rated one of the Top 16 Division II players in America by the publication Division II Basketball, is coming off a great freshman season, in which she averaged 19.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.2 steals to earn GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year honors in addition to second team all-conference honors. She won the conference rebounding title and finished third in scoring and blocked shots and fifth in field goal percentage helping the Seawolves approach the.500 level (13-14) after winning just nine games the year before. Five other players are back that earned honorable mention recognition, including Central Washington center Laura Wright, Northwest Nazarene forward Danielle Dwello, Seattle University guard Ashley Brown and guards Kari Reabold and Sheena Brown from Alaska Fairbanks. Wright finished eighth in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 13.2 points, and is the only other player among the Top 10 in addition to Kielpinski back for another season. Dwello was Northwest Nazarene s second leading scorer a year ago averaging 10.9 points. She also ranked fourth in the conference in rebounding, pulling down 8.4 per contest. Ashley Brown anchored a Seattle defense that put up some impressive numbers leading the conference in scoring defense (55.5) and steals (13.38) and ranking second in turnover ratio (5.46) behind Central Washington (5.54). Individually, she ranked sixth in assists (3.35) and fourth in steals (2.31). Sheena Brown and Reabold ranked 1-2 in scoring for the Nanooks, averaging 10.8 and 10.5 points, respectively. Brown won the conference three-point percentage title, converting on 50 percent (37 of 74) from the arc. The only starter back for Western Washington, which cruised through the conference schedule unbeaten (18-0) before being upset in the semifinals of the NCAA West Region tournament by SPU, is guard Mollie Stelmack, who was selected the GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year. Stelmack averaged 10.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Vikings. She is one of five returning letter winners, including Krystal Robinson, who was among the conference s top shot blockers (2.5) two years ago before missing all but two games last season. Central returns four starters, including Wright and guard Hanna Hull, who averaged 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds. The Wildcats also added two players with Division I experience. The lone starter back for Seattle Pacific, which lost to Chico State in the regional final after stunning Western Washington in the semifinals, is forward Autumn Fielding, who averaged 8.2 points. SPU also did a nice job of reloading, Whitney said. 1

2 Elsewhere, there is a mix of returning experience. The Alaska Nanooks and Seattle University each return four starters and Alaska Anchorage and Western Oregon each have three, while Northwest Nazarene has two and Saint Martin s has just one. The Saints have just three letter winners, the lowest total for any team in the conference. In addition to Kielpinski in rebounding and Sheena Brown in three-point percentage, Seattle Pacific guard Beth Christensen is the only other returning statistical champion. She led the conference in assists, averaging 4.3, despite coming off the bench in more than half of the Falcons contests. Two schools will have new head coaches this season. Tim Moser takes over at Alaska Anchorage and Greg Bruce, who has a record in 15 seasons including a highly successful stint at Portland State, is the new coach at Western Oregon. TEAM PREVIEWS Western Washington (27-2, 18-0, 1 st ) The Vikings appear to be a unique blend of old and new. Over half the roster is new, but there s also a very experienced core of players back that have seen major playing time and major success. Success is a centerpiece of the Viking program. Western has reached post-season play in all but one year of its history, and has reached the NCAA Division II National tournament all eight years it has been a full NCAA member. Last year, the Vikings were 27-2 overall, won the GNAC with a perfect 18-0 mark, and reached the semifinals of the West Regional of the national tournament. Four letter winners return from that squad for coach Carmen Dolfo ( , 15 years), who ranks in the Top 15 among active NCAA Division II coaches in career winning percentage (.747). They include one starter and another player who started much of the season. They ll be joined by three NCAA Division I transfers and a strong group of freshmen. The newness is exciting, said Dolfo. You can get a little spoiled with a lot of players who have been in the program a long time. We still have some solid returnees who have been stepping up as leaders, it s something we ve been working on since the day after last season ended. The lone returning starter is guard Mollie Stelmack (5-11, Sr., New Westminster, BC), who was the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. She averaged 10.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 38.2 percent (47- of-123) on three-pointers. Mollie started for us last year after transferring here, and she s a great shooter, said Dolfo. She has a really positive vibe to her. She loves playing, you can see it on her face, and it brings everyone up around her. The other player back with extended time in the starting lineup is forward Krystal Robinson (6-1, Jr., Kent, WA - Kentridge). Robinson was granted a medical hardship last season after knee problems limited her to two games, but in , she was a starter for the last half of the season, averaging 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds and ranking 14 th nationally in blocked shots at 2.5 a game. She looks strong, Dolfo said of Robinson. She s always been a good defender and I think she s improved at the offensive end. She s an upbeat, competitive person, and that s something she passes on to other people. Three more letter winners are back, and all saw extensive time last season, led by center Claire Pallansch (So., 6-1, Redmond), who averaged 7.0 points and team-highs of 6.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks while coming off the bench last season. She s going to play the five spot (center) this year, said Dolfo. She s worked really hard on back-to-basket moves, and by being in the post more, it should help us with rebounding. She has a lot of ability, the more focused she becomes, the more she can become a real impact post player. Forward Liz McCarrell (5-11, Jr., Ferndale, WA) averaged 5.8 points last year, and is the most experienced player in terms of games as a Viking, having played every contest the last two seasons. Liz has really stepped into a leadership role, Dolfo said. Her expectations have gone up and she s playing with a lot more confidence. She s a great slasher, her issue last year was consistency, and I think her new confidence helps that. Completing the returning letter winners is forward Willow Cabe (6-1, So., McCleary, WA - Elma), who averaged 3.4 points and 2.9 rebounds as a freshman. Willow is very talented, a very good driver and ballhandler, said Dolfo. I think last year she held back, but now she s learning to create her own role. I think this will be her emergent year. The other player with experience in the program is 6-2 redshirt freshman center Krista Lersch (Lynnwood, WA - Blanchet). 2

3 Krista has lots of potential and has made big strides, Dolfo said. She s strong and has good back-to-the-basket moves. It s just a matter of how quickly she ll develop. Two of the three transfers are point guards. India Soo (Kamuela, HI - Kamehameha), a 5-6 sophomore, averaged 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists at Idaho State in the season, starting 21 games, before sitting out last year. MacKenzie Flynn (Redmond), a 5-5 sophomore, averaged 4.2 points at Idaho, making seven starts. Both are very determined, feisty players, but in different ways, said Dolfo. India plays very up tempo and has great speed. MacKenzie is more controlled, and safe with the ball. They complement each other well, and both will have to step up and lead the team. The other transfer is 6-0 sophomore forward Sarah Schramm (Chelan), who saw action in 13 games for Gonzaga last year. She s very athletic and very strong, Dolfo said of Schramm. She can play either inside or outside for us. Completing the roster are three freshmen. Amanda Dunbar (Marysville, WA - Marysville-Pilchuck), a 5-9 guard, averaged 17.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists as a high school senior, earning first-team Everett Herald all-area honors, and was MVP of the East-West allstar game last spring. Amanda is a great shooter who can pull up from anywhere and she s very athletic, said Dolfo. She played for (Western grad) Julie Walker in high school, so she knows something about how we play and the transition should be easier for her than most freshmen. Gabby Wade (Lacey, WA - River Ridge), a 5-9 forward, averaged 12.5 points and 12.0 rebounds, earning secondteam Class 3A all-state honors from the Associated Press. Gabby is an amazing rebounder, Dolfo said. She s making a transition from being a post to playing on the perimeter, so there are a lot of new things for her to learn. Dolfo indicated getting the newcomers adjusted to doing things the Western way will be important. Eight of the first 11 games are on the road, including tournaments in Gunnison, Colo., Rohnert Park, Calif., and Las Vegas, Nev. We definitely feel we have good potential, and the players are very coachable and seem to be fitting well together, she said. How fast the new players learn our expectations and we jell as a team will be huge. It might take awhile, but we hope to right there at the end. Central Washington (15-11, 9-9, 5 th -T) Except for all-league forward Jamie Corwin, who averaged a team-best 16.2 points, and reserve Kristin Moore, who contributed 3.2 points per contest, head coach Jeff Whitney (149-91, 9 years) returns everyone else from last year's team, which was in the playoff hunt until the final weekend. Four starters are back including Laura Wright (6-3, Sr., Longview, WA - Mark Morris), who averaged 13.2 points and also led the Wildcats in rebounds (7.6), field goal percentage (49.4) and blocked shots (34). Also available are Hanna Hull, Ashley Blake and Ashley Fenimore plus five reserves. Wright will start at center for the fourth year in a row. She has been a cornerstone for the Wildcats since her freshman season, starting 77 of 79 games, scoring 1,089 points (13.8 per game) and pulling down 614 rebounds (7.8 per game). "Laura is ready to have an outstanding year and we expect she will be one of the top posts in the conference," Whitney said. Also seeing playing time in the post will be Hilary Tanneberg (6-2, So., Issaquah, WA - Liberty) and freshman Shaina Afoa (6-1, Anchorage, AK - Dimond). Tanneberg averaged 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds last season. "Hilary is athletic, runs the floor well and can block shots and she gained some valuable experience last year," Whitney said. Afoa adds depth on the inside and will be a solid player in the future for the Wildcats. Hull (5-9, Jr., Pateros, WA) returns on the wing, but could get a challenge from Stephanie McKinney (5-8, Sr., Centralia, WA) for the starting slot. Last year, Hull averaged 11.7 points and was the Wildcats' top three-point shooter making 38 of 108. She was also among the team leaders in assists with 55. McKinney, who started her career at Eastern Washington, added 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds off the bench. "Hanna has an incredible competitive spirit," Whitney said. "Her ability to score is definitely a key attribute to her game, whether it comes from the perimeter or down on the post." McKinney adds a defensive and rebounding dimension to the position and also runs the floor well. Blake (5-9, Sr., Lakewood, WA - Lakes) returns at the shooting guard position after averaging 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds a year ago. 3

4 Also available are Elyse Mengarelli (5-9, Sr., Yakima, WA - East Valley) and freshman Jenn Jacobs (5-9, Bremerton, WA). Blake is an excellent athlete who can defend and is more defensive oriented, while Mengarelli, who played in eight games at Montana State in the season, is an offensive-minded player who can get to the rim, finishes strong and also can pull up in transition and hit the jump shot. Mengarelli, who will be a threat from both the inside and outside, will help offset some of the scoring loss created by the graduation of Corwin. "She also has the ability to create for herself," Whitney said. Jacobs, who led the Narrows League in scoring each of the past three seasons (20.5 per game as a senior), is making strides each day in practice and gives the Wildcats a third option. "Last year this was an area in which we needed some help in the depth and scoring departments, but this year we are covered in terms of what we need to be successful," Whitney said. The Wildcats also added a quality player at forward in Brandie Bounds (5-10, Sr., Zillah, WA), who played three seasons at Eastern Washington before sitting out last year. She started 26 of 28 games during her junior campaign in , averaging 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds. Over the course of her three seasons with the Eagles, she appeared in 80 games and started 45, scoring 4.1 points per game and grabbing 2.9 rebounds per game. "Brandie is a very skilled basketball player in many aspects," Whitney said. "As a vocal leader with Division I experience, those factors will be immediately beneficial." Bounds joins two other returning players at the position Kristina Klapperich (6-1, Jr., Wasilla, AK - Colony) and Katie Vande Stouwe (F, 6-0, So., Aurora, CO - Hinkley). Klapperich played in 26 games last season, contributing 72 points and 70 rebounds, while Vande Stouwe played in three contests. Fenimore returns at the point to run the CWU offense. Last year she averaged 5.4 points and had 58 assists and 34 steals. "We are expecting her to be more of a vocal leader this season and also take more of an active scoring role. She showed last season she could score and do so at clutch moments." Also back at the point is Lauren Short (5-6, Sr., Vancouver, WA - Prairie), who started seven games and ranked second on the team in assists with 60. Yakima Valley transfer Siena Locke (5-3, Jr., Wasilla, AK - Colony), who is a solid defender and good penetrator, is also available. "We are fortunate to have three point guards with three different styles of play," Whitney said. Seattle Pacific (24-6, 16-2, 2 nd ) Though the Falcons graduated their top four scorers from last year s team that beat Western Washington in the regional semifinals, Seattle Pacific still has plenty of experienced players on its roster. The remaining eight players off the squad return and will be joined by two transfers, including Libby Magnuson from Bradley, and four freshmen. There s continuity now, second-year SPU coach Juli van Beek (24-6, 1 year; Overall, , 10 years) said. The joy of being a junior or senior is knowing what to expect in the system. We are already better defensively than we were a year ago. You can see our philosophy of a motion offense has taken hold. They are building on what they already know. There s more of a comfortable spirit. The kids we brought in are going to fit in to what we want to do defensively, like pressuring the ball. Offensively, we re still going to have a transition game although probably not at the pace of three or four years ago. We re definitely more athletic than a year ago. The lone returning starter from last year s team is forward Autumn Fielding (5-9, Sr., Kennewick, WA). Fielding averaged 8.2 points, producing 40 percent of them (35-91, 38.5) from the three-point line. She will be looked to play a bigger role in the offense this winter. Autumn had a great spring and needs to produce, van Beek said. Another player van Beek is expecting to play a bigger role offensively this year is guard Jackie Hollands (5-9, Jr., Oregon City, WA). Hollands played in just 17 games last season, averaging 4.5 points. Jackie was brought in to be a scorer (from the University of Washington), but was hurt last year, van Beek said. Other players back include centers Kelsey Hill (6-2, So., Portland, OR Portland Christian) and Lexi Schaar (6-4, So., Crookston, MN), forwards Rachel Strand (6-0, Sr., Shoreline, WA King s) and Jessie Christensen (5-9, Jr., Enumclaw, WA) and guards Beth Christensen (5-5, Jr., Enumclaw, WA) and Jessie Menkens (5-10, Sr., Battle Ground, WA Prairie). In the front court, Hill averaged 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds last season, while Schaar contributed 2.4 points per game. Strand also played a key role off the bench, averaging 4.7 points and 5.0 rebounds, while Jessie Christensen netted 25 points competing in 17 games. 4

5 Another player who will contribute on the inside is freshman Melissa Reich (6-2, Bothell, WA Bellevue Christian). I m excited about Kelsey (Hill), who takes steps forward every day, van Beek said. Melissa Reich is going to surprise some people. Lexi (Schaar) can score down low. Rachel (Strand) has worked on her outside shot and attacking the basket. It s just a matter of seeing how it all comes together. Strengthening SPU s inside game will be Bradley transfer Libby Magnuson (5-10, Jr., White Bear Lake, MN). Magnuson played in 45 games for the Division I school over the past two seasons, averaging 4.1 points per game. Last year, she contributed 5.2 points and 2.3 assists per contest. She is one of our strongest players and a great defender and attacks the basket, van Beek said. In the backcourt returning in addition to Hollands are Beth Christensen and Menkens. Christiansen returns after leading the GNAC in assists with 125 (4.31 per game) despite starting only 14 of 29 games. She also was the team s steal leader with 52 to rank eighth in the conference (1.79) and contributed 4.4 points per game. Menkens played in 26 games, starting three, and averaged 3.9 points per game. Also at guard is Daesha Henderson (5-8, Fr., Snohomish) who is one of four freshmen on the Falcon roster along with Reich and forwards Megan Hoisington (5-11, Bremerton, WA Central Kitsap) and Lisa Cannon (6-0, Lewiston, OR). This team has tons of potential and we¹re very hungry, but we are also very young, van Beek said. We re going to make mistakes early, yet we ll improve a lot. Our kids believe they can win and expect to win every time they step on the court, van Beek said. Seattle University (14-12, 9-9, 5 th -T) With a record in , Seattle University finished with a winning record for the first time in 12 years. The Redhawks boasted one of the best defenses in the country, finishing fourth in Division II in steals per game (13.4) and 11 th in the country in scoring defense, allowing only 55.5 points per game. Seven letter winners plus one redshirt return, giving head coach Dan Kriley confidence that his team can improve on last year s performance. These returners came into practice stronger and fit, prepared to lead the Redhawks to the top of the GNAC standings, according to Kriley. The coaching staff has set high expectations for the returning players, Kriley said. We have five players who have two years of experience in the program, and I think everyone is prepared to meet those expectations. At guard, Ashley Brown (5-4, Sr., Beaverton, OR) returns for her senior season after earning honorable mention allleague honors. Brown averaged 31.2 minutes per game last year, finishing second on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg) and first on the squad in assists (3.3 apg). She has the potential to become one of the top point guards in the conference. Ashley Payne (5-8, Sr., Port Angeles, WA), who averaged 7.9 points per game, is also back. Payne has the ability to distribute the ball and her understanding of the offense will be a major contribution for the team this season, according to Kriley. Fellow senior Danica Dougherty (5-8, Sammamish, WA - Skyline), who played in 121 minutes over 21 games, has improved her strength and speed, and the coaching staff is hoping she will be able to use her shooting ability to help the squad. Also back at guard is Jackie Thomas (5-7, Jr., Tacoma, WA) and Laura Jones (5-8, Sr., Bloomington, MN Jefferson). Thomas, who is the best on-ball defender in the conference according to Kriley, started 14 games and averaged 7.2 points. She also led the team in steals (66) and ranked second in assists (52). Jones, who averaged 4.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and also had 34 steals, is the backbone to the nationally ranked defense, and the coaches like her versatility and her ability to play any position on the court. Freshman Cassidy Murillo (5-7, Yakima, WA West Valley) will add depth in the backcourt. She brings a tremendous knowledge of the game of basketball. Her passing ability, vision, and shooting skills will make her a solid backup at either guard position. Laina Sobczak (5-11, Jr., Tacoma, WA Curtis) led Redhawks in scoring (9.0 ppg), rebounding (5.7 rpg), and field goal percentage (.415) and returns to anchor the forward position. Besides being able to score down in the paint with either hand, the GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year has developed a 15-foot jumper that makes it extremely hard for the defense to figure out what she is going to do. Fellow junior Kamrica Ary-Turner (5-10, Jr., Federal Way, WA) brings athleticism and speed to the forward position. 5

6 The coaches believe her shooting range and post ability will make her a more complete player this season. Three newcomers, two four-year transfers and a freshman, will be looked to for immediate results at the forward position. Taryn Kellogg (5-11, Jr., Woodinville, WA), who played in 20 games over two seasons at Weber State, is a defensive stopper and an offensive threat from several spots on the floor. Emilee Eisinger (6-0, Jr., Mill Creek, WA) is a true low post player with great footwork and tremendous touch around the basket. She was Northwest University s leading scorer last season averaging 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds and shooting at a 50.2 percent ( ) clip. The freshman is Ashley M. Brown (5-11, Kirkland, Wash.) was an all-state performer and McDonald s All-American nominee in high school. Ashley M. Brown will have an immediate impact in the conference, and I expect that this is just the start of a great career for her here at Seattle University, Kriley said. At center, Carly Fromdahl (6-2, Sr., Chino, Calif.) returns after starting eight of 22 games and averaging 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds last season. She now understands what she can do on the basketball court, and that knowledge along with improvement in the strength department should lead to her becoming a force in the paint, Kriley said. She has simplified her game, giving her easier chances to score around the basket. Strengthening the position is the addition of Seattle Pacific transfer Quinn Brewe (6-1, So., Edmonds, WA) who averaged 5.5 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Falcons two years ago. According to Kriley, Brewe has the ability to bang on the inside, shoot the ball from the perimeter, and handle the ball anywhere on the court, giving the coaches confidence that she can take over the game at any time. Alaska Anchorage (13-14, 6-12, 7 th ) As Tim Moser prepares his team for the season, it appears that the Seawolves first-year head coach will have plenty of quality options when he looks down the bench. Moser has put together his first UAA roster with an eye toward not only talent, but depth. Joining the Seawolves five proven returnees will be 10 newcomers and a redshirt from last year, making the team three-deep at almost every position. Our staff has really enjoyed working with this group, said Moser, who accumulated more than 300 victories in eight years coaching both men and women at Otero (Colo.) Junior College. They are all committed to the team concept and we see progress every day in practice. I think our returning talent should blend well with some of the new players, but it may take a while to gel. Highlighting that returning talent is Rebecca Kielpinski, a 6-2 sophomore center who is coming off a phenomenal debut season. The Great Northwest Athletic Conference s Freshman-of-the-Year averaged 19.4 points and a leaguebest 9.4 rebounds to earn second team All-West Region and Freshman All-America honors from Women s Division II Bulletin. That same publication highlights Kielpinski (Mandan, N.D.) as the GNAC preseason Player-of-the-Year and one of the Top 16 players in D-II. Rebecca might be the most fundamentally sound player I ve ever coached, said Moser. The best thing about her, though, is that she doesn t care about all the accolades. She just wants to keep getting better and win. Joining Kielpinski in the frontcourt will be a trio of veteran senior leaders in Mari (Riser) Callahan (5-8, Sr., Roosevelt, UT), Tenecia (Macon) Lockard (6-1, Sr., Anchorage, AK (East San Jose State) and Jayci Stone (5-10, Sr., Goodland, KS Colby CC & New Mexico State). Callahan was the Seawolves second-leading scorer (9.9 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (4.2 rpg) a year ago, playing primarily on the perimeter. This season Callahan will still get a chance to flash her nifty passing skills, but she ll do so from the forward position. Mari is relentless on the court and great at driving to the hoop, said Moser. She s really the glue to our team and she ll be a key to our success this year. The 6-1 Lockard is the team s only returning two-year letter winner, bringing career averages of 6.1 points and 4.2 rebounds. More of a true post player, the former East Anchorage High star provides UAA with an intimidating shot-blocker and the ability to press and run. Stone joins the Seawolves for her senior season as a transfer from Division I New Mexico State, where she averaged 2.9 points per game in A former allregion junior college player at Colby (Kan.) CC, the 5-10 forward gives UAA a skilled, well-rounded scorer. We re really fortunate to have Jayci here, Moser said. When the ball s in her hands, good things happen. The Seawolf frontcourt gets even deeper with the addition center Kat Harley, a true freshman from Calgary, Alberta. The 6-2 Harley brings an impressive post-up game and could play an important role in complementing Kielpinski inside, according to Moser. 6

7 Unfortunately, the Seawolves didn t have to wait long for their first significant injury, losing athletic forward LaToya Riggins to an ACL tear the first day of practice. The former California prep and JC star, who was expected to challenge for a starting role, will redshirt this season instead. While there are more questions surrounding the Seawolf backcourt, Moser has a good place to start with the return of battle-tested sophomores Tristan Burnett and Limor Pelleg. Burnett (5-9, So., Oregon City, OR) was on track for one of the top freshman seasons in school history before a broken hand suffered Jan. 19 sidelined her for the season. In just 15 games, Burnett showed her versatility with averages of 7.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists, including a strong showing against D-I competition in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout. While Burnett may play more at the point this season, Moser says Pelleg (5-5, So., Rishon LeZion, Israel) may move into more a shooting guard role to take advantage of her solid jump shot. Pelleg started all 27 games a year ago, averaging 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists, which ranked fourth in the GNAC. Among several newcomers on the perimeter, junior Maria Nilsson (6-0, Jr., Skovde, Sweden) gives UAA an outstanding shooter with size and skill. The 6-foot Swede was an all-region player at JC power Northwest (Neb.) CC, shooting 40 percent from three-point range. Another JC transfer, Jennifer Salazar (Houston, TX South Houston & Garden City CC) is a 5-9 slasher who can play either guard position, or even small forward. Much like Riggins, Moser said Salazar s long arms and athleticism should allow her to guard a variety of players. More of a pure point guard, senior Meghan Vaughan (5-7, Sr., Dalton, MA) joins UAA for one season after graduating from Boston College, where she practiced with the Eagles. Moser said the master s student will add maturity, commitment, leadership and a winning attitude to the squad. Several more newcomers have a chance to crack the lineup, including true freshman guard Keyona Brooks (5-4, Fresno, CA Central), an excellent perimeter defender; junior JC transfer Lezlie Brumage (5-4, Jr., Strasburg, CO), who comes from Moser s Otero program; and redshirt junior Erin Cunningham (5-6, Jr., Yuba City, CA Marysville & Yuba College), who sat out last season after ACL surgery. Northwest Nazarene (17-11, 11-7, 4 th ) By Mike Stetson (Idaho Press-Tribune) You always feel good starting the year after a trip to nationals, and no doubt that s true at NNU. Fresh off their second trip to the NCAA Division II tournament, Northwest Nazarene feels pretty good, but for more reasons that just recent success. The ladies are working extremely hard, said seventh-year NNU coach Kelli Lindley, adding,... honestly, it s been an easy year thus far because they re such a nice group of young ladies, very coachable, and all with great work ethics. A team looking to continue the success the Crusaders found last year when they went 17-11; not necessarily in terms of wins and losses, but in what NNU accomplished in intangibles at season s end. Last year s team reached its potential and peaked at the right time, said Lindley, and that s the goal of this team. I think this team wants to win a lot of games, but also reach the potential that it has within a very, very tough conference and against very tough competition. They want to be their very best. But it s really vague at this point what our very best is. More clear, though, is that the Crusaders have plenty of talented returnees to lead the way, starting inside with 6- foot senior Danielle Dwello (10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds). The all-conference honorable mention selection has been slowed by opponents due to double and triple teams, but Lindley expects good things from the Nampa Christian High product this season. I think she really wants to step up and be that leader, Lindley said. We expect her to get a lot more shots this year. If she can really step up her scoring average we will be really good inside. Good, as Dwello will get help from 6-0 junior Nichole Schutte (Nampa. ID, 5.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and 6-0 sophomore Ahlee Thomas (Bend, OR North Idaho, 3.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg), along with 5-11 freshman newcomer Kristin Hein (Tualatin, OR). I think our posts will be the most experienced players this year, said Lindley, I m really excited about our posts, it s a good group and they re working hard. A quick and physical group, who will be able to attack bigger teams with speed in an up-tempo NNU attack. But also a group that looks to get plenty of help from the perimeter this year as Lindley says she s got one of her better three-point shooting teams. Or at least several three-point threats in junior college transfers Paige Knudson (5-10, Jr., Pocatello, ID) and Micaela Williams (5-7, Jr., Roseburg, OR Umpqua), along with redshirt freshman Janee Olds (5-7, Coos Bay, OR North Bend). Olds played in two games before being sidelined with an injury last season, but hit 2-for-3 from beyond the arc when she played. 7

8 Knudson, a 5-10 guard, was a first-team all-region selection at Sheridan Community College (Wyo.) where she scored 13.1 points per game, grabbed 5.2 rebounds and hit 38 percent of her 3-balls. Williams (15.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg) hit 38-of-92 treys at Umpqua last year, though has yet to practice this season due to a back injury. I m really excited about the shooters we have this year, said Lindley, adding,... the trick is being able to hit the shot when there s big, strong, athletic girls guarding you and you re going to be moving faster than you re use to. Lindley feels her shooters will adapt well, though, providing a team that hit just 108 three-pointers last year much more long-range threats. Adding a dimension to NNU s attack, which will have yet another facet thanks to returning point guard Mallory Whipple (5-7, So., Redmond, OR) and freshman Lindsay Brady (5-8, Fr., Boise, ID Bishop Kelly). Whipple, who led NNU with 81 assists as a freshman, will give the Crusaders some experienced leadership, but also is a threat to score as the 5-7 guard likes to take it to the basket. She has really come back this year a lot better and a lot more confident, said Lindley, adding that Whipple will get help from Brady, 5-9 freshman forward Brittney Roggenkamp (La Center, WA), and guards like Olds, Knudson, Williams and 5-9 freshman Krista Oliver (Oregon City, OR) to bring the ball up court and also lead the attack. Brady and Roggenkamp also will be a threat to drive, giving NNU a triple-threat offense that can score off the dribble, kick-out for three or dish off to posts. A balanced attack that will be helped out by aggressive defense: A defense that will press, but not exclusively. We will press some, said Lindley adding, whenever you press there is an element that you re gambling, but at the same time we want to control the tempo. We want to make teams uncomfortable and so we definitely plan to get up and apply some full-court pressure. Key will be depth for NNU, which is already facing a few injuries as they ve lost 6-2 sophomore post Jennifer Williams to a broken back she suffered during summer training, and have yet to get Micaela Williams (5-7, Jr., Roseburg, OR Umpqua) on court. But Lindley feels the team right now has the numbers to play the style it wants. Every kid can contribute, she said. I think we have as much depth as we ve had any year. Which can also be said about the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, where Lindley says her team can t take a night off. Though the top contenders are perennial powers Western Washington and Seattle Pacific, along with Central Washington and Alaska Anchorage which both return plenty of talent, she says the conference just gets tougher and tougher. Making it tough for her to pick where her Crusaders fit in. But then, this team isn t focused on place so much as effort. It s going to be a battle every night, and that s what these kids want and what we want, Lindley said, adding,...we want to go out there and play our best every night, whatever that is. And maybe that will be good enough for another trip to nationals. Alaska Nanooks (7-19, 4-14, 9 th ) With the return of five battle-tested players, including two all-stars, joining some talented newcomers, Alaska Nanook head coach Lynne Andrew is confident her team will improve on last year s 7-19 record. Going into my fourth year, I m still looking to put together that great season, Andrew said. Even though our record may not have shown it, I definitely feel like we made some strides last year with the players we had. We return nine players off the roster but only five of them saw significant playing time, so in some ways it feels like I kind of have a new group. Also new to the Nanooks is assistant Ben Smith, who Andrew hired during the off-season. Andrew said Smith, who spent last season as an assistant at UAA, arrived with some new ideas to maximize the offensive and defensive talents of the Nanook roster, which returns 63 percent of its scoring. I m a fairly young head coach and he brought in some new ideas, Andrew said. We re slowly putting things in but the biggest thing is that our kids are buying into it. They re excited because they see the opportunities. One plus for the Nanooks is that Sheena Brown (5-8, So., Fairbanks, AK) emerged from her trial-by-fire freshman season with the knowledge of what it takes to perform in the college ranks. The 5-8 Brown started 19 of 26 games and led the team in scoring (10.8), assists (2.5) and steals (1.3). The Lathrop grad also topped the GNAC in three-point shooting percentage making half (37-74) of her shots from the arc. Last year, Sheena went through some growing pains but at the end of the season, you look at her stats and she had a very successful year, Andrew said. She s made great strides. She s a sponge and she s in here every other day watching game film. 8

9 Also back in the fold for Andrew is team MVP Kari Reabold (5-11, Jr., Fairbanks, AK), who also earned honorable mention all-star honors. Reabold, a versatile 5-11 wing, raised her game from 4.1 points and 4.2 boards a game as a freshman to 10.5 and 5.6 last year. Andrew expects further growth from the junior especially on defensive end, where new zone sets should benefit her anticipation. Kari has grown every year she s been in the program and her confidence continues to grow, Andrew said of her team co-captain. She leads by example and takes pride in every little drill. The other captain will be sophomore Cristina Bruketta (Ellensburg, WA). The 5-8 off-guard averaged 9.1 points a game in her rookie campaign, largely from the outside. Andrew thinks that a year of seasoning will allow Bruketta to show off her total game. She got labeled as three-point shooter and people keyed on her, Andrew said. She s not one-dimensional. She ll have more opportunity this year to show her versatility. The Nanooks should also benefit from the return of senior Mia Seagraves (5-3, Long Beach, CA). The 5-3 guard, who battled a knee injury last season, is healthy after averaging five points and 22 minutes a game. New to the backcourt will be junior transfer Trista Robinson (5-8, Fairbanks, AK - Peninsula) and freshman Sarah Herrin (5-7, Nikiski, AK). Robinson, who was a prep teammate of Brown and Reabold s at Lathrop, practiced with the team last year. The 5-8 guard should take some of Brown s point guard duties and is described by Andrew as a gamer. Herrin enjoyed a successful four-year prep career against small schools competition averaging 19.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, two assists and four steals last season to earn the 3A State Player of the Year award and help Nikiski win a state championship. Sarah Herrin is so strong, Andrew said. She did everything in high school and she continues to do that here. With no players over 6-1, the Nanooks won t wow any teams with their size up front but Andrew has stocked her roster with versatile post players. To accentuate that skill set the Nanooks will be running more plays out of the high post and defensively will use zones to help mask the lack of height, something assistant coach Smith helped implement. I ve been a strictly man-to-man coach almost my whole life and not touched on zones too often, Andrew said. Now we ve got five different defenses in. Under the basket, the Nanooks will lean heavily on senior post Karen Rabung (Nikiski, AK). The six-footer averaged a career-high 9.7 points a game to go with nearly five rebounds. But foul trouble (3.5 a game, 5 foul outs) limited Rabung to only 19 minutes a contest. The other teams knew we weren t deep and they attacked her. Mixing it up defensively with zones will keep her in the game longer, Andrew said. If we can keep her in the game, she ll help us win a bunch of games. Joscelyn Shumate (6-0, Jr., Fairbanks, AK) and redshirt freshman Lexie Black (6-1, Coupeville, WA) are eager to get back on the court after being limited last year by injuries. The 6-0 Shumate and the 6-1 Black are healthy and making an impact in preseason practices. They ve stepped up huge this year, Andrew said. If she can stay healthy, Joscelyn has a lot talent that she hasn t shown. Lexie adds a new dimension to the defensive end. Also contributing up front will be Rachael Stewart (So., Willow, AK) and freshmen Brittany Black (Coupeville, WA) and Caitlyn Rohrbach (Edmonds, WA). Andrews describes Brittany Black, a 5-11 forward and Lexie Black s sister, and Stewart, a 5-9 forward, as hard-nosed competitors. Rohrbach will be expected to play both power and small forward but shows the skills at 6-0 to eventually be a big wing. Saint Martin s (9-18, 5-13, 8 th ) Whitney Golob is the only returning starter for head coach Tim Healy as he enters his 11 th year ( ) at Saint Martin s. The Saints, who won nine of 27 games and finished eighth last year in the GNAC with a 5-13 conference mark, have only two returning letter winners, but Healy signed a total of 10 new players including four freshmen and six transfers. With so many new players I certainly think there are a lot of question marks, Healy said. In the preseason this team has worked very hard, they have a great attitude and are making significant progress. It will be interesting to see which of the players steps up when games begin. Last year Golob (6-0, Sr. Olympia, WA) averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. She was third in the conference with a 85.4 free throw percentage and led the Saints with a 46.6 field goal percentage. Also returning will be Sunny Nilson (6-0 So., Mineral, WA Morton) and redshirt Holly Nilson (5-10, Jr., Mineral, WA University of Idaho). Sunny, who competed this fall for the Saint volleyball team, played in 27 games last season, starting 10. She netted 59 points (2.2 ppg) and also had 47 rebounds (1.7). 9

10 Holly returns to the court after having redshirted last season due to an ACL tear. She too suited up for volleyball this fall. The incoming freshmen include Megan Busch (5-8, Bellingham, WA Sehome), Destiny Schang (5-4, Woodland, WA), Krissy Bassett (6-0, Washougal, WA) and Jamey Gelhar (5-6, Brush Prairie, WA Prairie). Busch was first-team all-state performer and averaged 18.2 points a game at Sehome. Megan is an outstanding player with tons of potential. Not only can she handle the ball but she is a very good shooter, said Healy. Schang led Woodland to the TriCo League and district championship last season, averaging 12.6 points a game. She was also second among all Class 2A players in the state in assists and steals last season. What I like best about Destiny is that she is feisty. She can defend on the ball and knock down the three, comments Healy. Bassett averaged 21 points and nine rebounds per game leading to an impressive 1351 points in her career at Washougal. She was also the league MVP in Krissy is a tremendous athlete who knows how to put the ball in the basket, can run the floor and rebound, stated Healy. Gelhar averaged 12 points per game and helped lead her team to first, third, fourth, and second place finishes at the state tournament during her four-year high career. She was also a first-team all-state selection in Jamey is a great find for our program, commented Healy. She is an outstanding defensive player who can shoot the 3. Each of these kids brings something completely different to the table. I am excited to see how quickly they can adjust to the college game, Healy said. Two sets of junior college teammates are also on this year s roster - Kassie Ludeman (6-2, Jr., Waterville, WA) and Amber Harmon (5-9, Jr., Wenatchee, WA) from Wenatchee Valley and Necia Jerome (5-5, So., Olympia, WA) and Breanne Lindquist (5-8, Jr., Lynden, WA) from Whatcom CC. Other new recruits include transfers Sade Smith (5-11, Jr., Pullman, WA) from Centralia CC and Jessi Reome (5-10, Jr., Nine Mile Falls, WA) from Montana State Northern. Ludeman averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game at WVC. Kassie is the true back to the basket kind of post player which we have wanted for several years. She is very strong and can score both inside and out, said Healy. Harmon averaged 15.9 points per game and made 52 threepointers last season contributing to her selection as team MVP. Amber fills a couple of critical need that we have this year, stated Healy. First, she is a taller wing player then we have had; but more importantly she can really shoot the three. Jerome was a starting guard last year and averaged 9.2 points per game. Necia is a good athlete, with a good attitude and I think she will surprise some people this year, commented Healy. Lindquist averaged 10 points and six rebounds per game. Breanne has great work ethic on both sides of the ball and her relentless rebounding from the guard position, said Healy. Smith averaged 12.9 points per game as well as 8.7 rebounds at Centralia. Sade also had a 51.5 field goal percentage in earning first team NWAACC all-star honors. Sade is a very good athlete and her ability to run the floor and rebound will make her a contributor right away, said Healy. Reome, who is the sister of the GNAC s all-time volleyball assist leader (Central Washington s Kate Reome, ) brings with her a 43.3 three-point shooting percentage from the NAIA school. She also averaged 10.4 points per game. Jessi had to take some time off last year to let some foot injuries heal, but I feel that she is really motivated to play here and that her shooting ability will make her a threat right from the start, said Healy. I am very happy with this recruiting class. Not only did we address every need we had, but we are bringing in some quality young people to the university, said Healy. The best thing about this team will be our depth. We don t have a superstar, but I feel like every player will be able to contribute on the court, added Healy. Western Oregon (0-27, 0-18, 10 th ) First-year head coach Greg Bruce faces a major rebuilding task at Western Oregon, but he comes to the job with an impressive resume. The Wolves return just three players off last year s team a fourth is redshirting that went winless and was outscored by an average margin of 21 points per game. Bruce needs just seven wins this season to reach the 300 victory level as he has compiled a record in 15 previous campaigns. That includes a record at Portland State where he won five consecutive PacWest titles and reached the

11 NCAA title game. His team posted a record of WOU has had a great tradition of success at the NAIA level and as the only Division II university in the state of Oregon, I believe it is a diamond in the rough in regards to what can be done with the basketball program, Bruce, a member of the Portland State Hall-of-Fame, said. The women have been working hard and have been very willing to accept coaching as we began implementing our offensive and defensive systems. The fact remains everything is new to everyone involved and the learning curve is going to take some time. Due to many factors we have yet to have our entire team practice together. In addition we suffered an injury to one of our key players which could keep her out for an extended period. We are definitely a work in progress. The only returnees from last year are forward Leada Berkey (5-8, Jr., Amity, OR), guard Kori Seymour (5-7, So., Grants Pass, OR) and guard Kaila Hawley (5-7, Sr., Cordova, AK Edmonds CC). Berkey was the team s leading scorer, averaging 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She also ranked second in assists with 60 and third in steals with 31 and will start at a guard position. Leada has been good as advertised since practice started, Bruce said. She is the real deal on both ends of the court. Seymour averaged 7.2 points and 3.2 rebounds last year and will also start in the backcourt. She has been a pleasant surprise returning from an injury that limited her to 17 games last season, Bruce said. The third returnee Hawley contributed 6.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in , but is out indefinitely with an injury. Ali Crumb, the team s No. 2 scorer (8.7) and assist leader (73) a year ago, will redshirt. Another letter winner, however, is back from WOU s team and Bruce also has added three four-year transfers. Libby Stephens (5-8, Jr., Portland, OR St. Mary s Academy) made 12 starts two years ago and averaged 3.5 points per game. The transfers are guard Brittany MacGregor (5-6, Jr., Vancouver, WA Skyview) from Grand Canyon and posts Jodee Wilson (5-11, Jr., Lebanon, OR) from Colorado State Pueblo and Jordan Wilde (5-11, Jr., Snohomish, WA) from George Fox. MacGregor and freshman Bradleigh Cameron (5-4, Portland, OR) will likely join Berkey and Seymour in WOU s four-guard offensive set. Brittany brings two years of Division II experience and will give us some stability at the point, Bruce said. MacGregor participated in 42 games at Grand Canyon. Last year she averaged 2.4 points per game. Cameron comes to the Wolves from Portland s Grant High School. Wilson and Wilde may split the starting post position. Wilson has career averages of 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 43 career games at Colorado State Pueblo, while Wilde scored 51 points in 44 games at George Fox. Three other players round out the Wolf roster including Abby Stephens (5-8, Portland, OR St. Mary s Academy) and freshmen MacKinzie McClain (5-8, Sisters, OR) and Elizabeth Liechty (5-11, Mulino, OR Molalla). ALASKA ANCHORAGE SEAWOLVES Head Coach: Tim Moser, Colorado State - Pueblo 98 (1 st year) Assistants: Rebecca Alvidrez, Nick Ball Record: Conference: 6-12, 7 th Returning Letter Winners: 5 Returning Starters: Rebecca Kielpinski (C, 6-2, So., 19.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.9 bpg, 1.2 spg, 2 nd team GNAC); Mari (Riser) Callahan (G, 5-8, Sr., 9.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.4 spg); Limor Pelleg (G, 5-5, So., 7.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.6 spg) Other Returnees: Tenecia (Macon) Lockard (F-C, 6-1, Sr., 7.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg); Tristan Burnett (G, 5-9, So., 7.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg) ALASKA NANOOKS Head Coach: Lynne Andrew, Montana State 91 (30-49, 3 years) Assistant: Benjamin Smith Record: 7-19 Conference: 4-14, 9 th Returning Letter Winners: 7 Returning Starters: Kari Reabold (G, 5-11, Jr., 10.5 ppg, 5. rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.7 bpg, HM GNAC); Sheena Brown (G, 5-8, So., 10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 spg, HM GNAC); Karen Rabung (F, 6-0, Sr., 9.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg); Cristina Bruketta (G, 5-8, So., 9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 spg) Other Returnees: Mia Seagraves (G, 5-3, Sr., 4.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.1 spg); Joscelyn Shumate (F, 6-0, Jr., 3.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg); Rachael Stewart (F, 5-9, So., 0.3 ppg, 0.4 rpg) CENTRAL WASHINGTON WILDCATS Head Coach: Jeff Whitney, Central Washington '95 (149-91, 9 years) Assistants: Ana Tuiaea-Ruud Student Assistants: Lindsay Weiss, Amber Hall Record: Conference: 9-9, 5 th -T Returning Letter Winners: 9 Returning Starters: Laura Wright (C, 6-3, Sr., HM GNAC, 13.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg); Hanna Hull (G, 5-9, Jr., 11.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.1 apg. 1/3 spg); Ashley Blake (G, 11