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SEATTLE -- Interbay Stadium is full of activity again.

Coaches are conditioning athletes, players are sending strikes on goal and goalkeepers are trying to prevent those shots from entering the net.

The Seattle Pacific men started practice on Monday. The Falcons are earnestly preparing for the 2010 NCAA Division II soccer season, their third under Coach Mark Collings.

“The team is in great physical condition,” Collings reports. “The more exciting part has been the spirit amongst the group and how much energy they have. The cohesiveness that I sense among this team is really special.”

For the first time in his head-coaching career Collings will work with a veteran team. Nine starters return from last season's SPU squad that improved by five victories in the win column from the previous year.

The Falcons posted an 11-5-3 record and placed third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with a 4-3-1 mark.

Heading the list of returnees is junior midfielder Tyler Schultz (Scottsdale, Ariz.) whose eight goals topped the team.

Also back is junior midfielder Drew Williams (Bend, Ore.), who distributed a team-high nine assists last season, and sophomore defender Jon Pearman (Glendale, Ariz.) who was honored as the 2009 GNAC Freshman of the Year.

Senior goalkeeper Kaleb Kuehn (Marysville, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck) returns after compiling five shutouts and a fine 1.10 goals against average last season.

Collings supplemented the remarkable returning cast with five fantastic newcomers. He is happy to wait on contributions from his rookies.

“Not that our freshmen aren't a talented group of players, but for the first time in my three years we are not asking freshmen or new players to come in and have to really put an impact on this team and program. They are going to able to find their way and really find a niche on this team on their own time instead of being thrust into the lineup right away. That is good and speaks to the quality of our team.”

The Falcons open the season at home, hosting Humboldt State on Friday, Sept. 3. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium following an SPU women's soccer game at 4:30 p.m.