SEAWOLF SPIKE SCHEDULE:
Friday, Sept. 3: Seattle Pacific vs. San Francisco State, 11:15 a.m.
The Wolves' Den/Rohnert Park, Calif.
No Webcast. Live stats on this link.

Friday, Sept. 3: Seattle Pacific vs. Cal State Stanislaus, 3:45 p.m.
Sonoma State Rec Center/Rohnert Park, Calif.
No Webcast. Live stts on this link. 

Saturday, Sept. 4: Seattle Pacific vs. Chico State, 1:30 p.m.
Sonoma State Rec Center/Rohnert Park, Calif.
No Webcast. Live stats on this link.

Saturday, Sept. 4: Seattle Pacific at Sonoma State, 7 p.m.
The Wolves' Den/Rohnert Park, Calif.
No Webcast. Live stats on this link.

       
       Complete weekly release, with stats (PDF)

SEATTLE -- A quarter century ago, the Seattle Pacific Falcons took the volleyball court for the first time, not knowing for sure what was in store.

Now, as they prepare to open their silver anniversary season, the Falcons have much to look back on -- including five trips to the NCAA Division II tournament -- and they know exactly what's in store for 2010: a rugged schedule and what they hope will be a second consecutive march into postseason play.

SPU will serve up its first points of the season this weekend when it joins seven other teams at Sonoma State University in California for the Seawolf Spike.

The Falcons will play four matches in Rohnert Park, Calif., starting on Friday at 11:15 a.m. against 2009 NCAA qualifier San Francisco State. That will be the first of two matches for the day, with the second coming at 3:45 p.m. against Cal State Stanislaus.

On Saturday, the Falcon square off against Chico State at 1:30 p.m., then wind it up at 7 against host Sonoma State, hoping to gain some redemption for the Seawolves' three-game sweep of SPU in last year's Central Washington Tournament. Sonoma went on to qualify for the NCAAs.

The tournament is one of two in the preseason for the Falcons. They'll head across the Pacific Ocean next week for the Hawaii Invitational on Friday and Saturday, then begin Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Sept. 16 at Central Washington. Seattle Pacific won't play at home until Northwest Nazarene visits for a GNAC contest on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. in Royal Brougham Pavilion.

TURNING THE BIG TWO-FIVE
The Falcons began their volleyball program in 1986 under the direction of JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner, who still teaches in the physical education department at SPU. The team won its very first match, a 3-0 sweep of Northwest College.

Atwell-Scrivner guided the Falcons through their first 14 seasons. By the time she retired from coaching after the 1999 campaign, she had built a record of 260-223 with five district or conference postseason appearances and the 1998 Pacific West Championship.

Since then, Seattle Pacific has added back-to-back Great Northwest Athletic Conference crowns (2005 and '06) and five NCAA trips. The Falcons also have produced three All-American players (Nami Teramae in 1995, Jenna Von Moos in 2006 and Alyssa Given in 2007), along with numerous all-region and all-conference selections on the court and in the classroom.

ALUMNI REUNION
In conjunction with the 25th anniversary season, all former Falcon players who went on to graduate are invited to an Alumni Night on Saturday, Sept. 25 when Saint Martin's visits Brougham Pavilion. A reception and dinner is set for 4 p.m., and the GNAC contest against the Saints starts at 7. Alumni are invited to send their favorite memories (up to approximately 150 words) to moschm@spu.edu. More information and a sign-up form for Alumni Night (the event is free) is available on this link.

SPEAKING OF THE FALCONS
In California, Seattle Pacific will come up against two teams that made the 2009 NCAA field (San Francisco State and Sonoma State) and one more that just missed (Chico State).

“We're hitting the ground running. Those three teams are all going to be good,” Falcons coach Chris Johnson said. “San Francisco State is well coached, and they have a good system. We haven't beaten Sonoma and Chico in a while, so we want to beat those teams. Sonoma has two outside hitters who are both good, so we have to be ready for that. And they run their middles quicker than anyone we've seen.”

While the first regional rankings won't come out until later in the season, those who put the rankings together will be paying attention right from the start.

“If we can get wins in California against one or two of those three teams, we'll do a lot to help ourselves in the region,” Johnson said.

Through the first two weeks of practice, the Falcons have shown Johnson that they're ready to put the ball into play.

“We're really happy with how we're looking so far from a physical standpoint and from the big-picture standpoint,” Johnson said. “We have a great group of returners who understand what it is to work hard, and the value of working hard. They're holding the underclassmen accountable and making sure everyone is working hard on every play.”

SCOUTING THE SEAWOLF SPIKE
San Francisco State
All-time series: SPU leads, 5-2. Current series streak: SF State won 1.
Last time: SF State 3, SPU 2 (25-17, 22-25, 10-25, 25-13, 15-12; Aug. 29, 2008 at Rohnert Park, Calif.). San Francisco State on the Web.
Gators in a nutshell: San Francisco State is coming off a 2009 NCAA tournament appearance when it advanced to the West Regionals before falling to UC San Diego in the first round. The Gators' final record was 20-11, including 13-9 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Among the returners for San Francisco State is 5-foot-9 junior middle hitter Halimah Oswald, who led the team in blocks last year with 69 (10 solo). She also was effective on offense, hitting .284 with 225 kills (1.99 per game). Another solid offensive contributor, 5-9 outside hitter Lauren Walsh, also returns after racking up 232 kills (2.52 per game) in '09. Gone from the Gators are top hitter Beth Perkins (454 kills for 3.82 per game), and setter Iris Tolenada (10.45 assists per game).

Cal State Stanislaus
All-time series: SPU leads, 9-0. Current series streak: SPU won 9.
Last time: SPU 3, Stanislaus 1 (25-27, 25-22, 25-19, 25-13; Aug. 29, 2008 at Rohnert Park, Calif.). Cal State Stanislaus on the Web.
Warriors in a nutshell: Stanislaus had its struggles last year, going 10-20 overall and just 4-18 in the CCAA. But the Warriors return their leaders in every major statistical category. On offense, that includes 5-foot-11 junior outside hitter Lianne Vicchio, who averaged 3.32 kills per game, came up with 338 digs, started all 30 matches and played in all 109 games. Junior defensive specialist/setter Lauren Charles and senior libero Megan Britton each delivered 34 service aces. Sophomore middle hitter Melissa Bishop, at 6-1, led Stanislaus with 82 blocks (16 solo), and sophomore setter Jessica Lehner racked up 553 assists and was the top hitter among the Warriors' regulars at .258.

Chico State
All-time series: Chico State leads, 9-5. Current series streak: Chico State won 2.
Last time: Chico State 3, SPU 0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-19; Aug. 30, 2008 at Rohnert Park, Calif.). Chico State on the Web.
Wildcats in a nutshell: Chico State barely missed out on a spot in the NCAA tournament last fall – getting edged by Seattle Pacific for the eighth and final berth in the West Regionals. But the Wildcats have 10 letterwinners, including four starters, back from the team that wound up with a final record of 23-9. That includes setter Sable Villaescusa, who averaged 10.55 assists per game, outside hitter Jessica Leek (187 kills, 41 service aces) and middle hitter Kayla Baumgardner (140 kills, 33 blocks). Chico State hit .231 as a team last year, second-highest among SPU's four opponents in this tournament.

Sonoma State
All-time series: Sonoma State leads, 6-2. Current series streak: Sonoma State won 3.
Last time: Sonoma State 3, SPU 0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-11; Sept. 3, 2009 at Ellensburg, Wash.). Sonoma State on the Web.
Seawolves in a nutshell: The Falcons will be familiar with the host Seavolves, having played them in the Central Washington Tournament last fall, with Sonoma State winning in a sweep. The Seawolves went all the way to the NCAA West Regionals, where they fell to Cal State Los Angeles in the first round to finish 23-8 overall after a 15-7 CCAA season. Among the returners are two players who came up big against SPU last year: 6-foot junior outside hitter Keala Peterson (14 kills and a .364 hitting percentage against the Falcons, 401 kills and a 4.18 per-game average for the season along with a .249 hitting percentage and 43 blocks) and sophomore outside hitter Ally Sather (13 kills and .409 hitting against SPU, 442 kills for a 3.95 average for the year). Junior libero Taylor Krenwinkel (539 digs) also returns.

HOW DO THEY COMPARE?    SPU    SF St.    CS Stan.    Chico    Sonoma
Hitting percent                          .207     .189       .147            .231        .249
Opponent's hitting pct.           .158     .187       .199            .194        .172
Kills per game                           13.3     12.9       10.7            13.7        13.2
Assists per game                     12.5     12.0         9.7            12.5        12.2
Aces per game                            1.2       1.3         1.6              1.8           1.8
Blocks per game                        1.9       1.5          1.6              1.0           1.8
Digs per game                           16.6    16.7        14.7            16.5        17.2

NO SCHEDULING SOFT SPOTS
Every time the Falcons step onto the court this fall, whether in preseason play or in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, they'll be across the net from a West Regional opponent.

Since it's regional competition -- and regional rankings -- that ultimately determines who advances to the NCAAs, that means the Falcons' playoff fortunes will be on the line from the very first serve this weekend in Rohnert Park, Calif..

Through their 26 regular-season matches, Seattle Pacific will come up against four opponents who made last year's regionals. In addition to San Francisco State and Sonoma State this weekend, they'll visit Hawaii Hilo next week, and will have home-and-home matches against defending GNAC champ and regional qualifier Alaska Anchorage during conference play.

Seattle Pacific will have one advantage early in the GNAC schedule: Five of its first seven conference contests are at home in Brougham Pavilion.

POLLING PLACE
The Falcons have been picked for a third-place finish in the GNAC preseason coaches poll. Seattle Pacific received 53 points in the voting, and its third-place position is a climb of one spot from last year's preseason poll.

Perennial power Western Washington was picked as the favorite to win the conference title – but not by much. The Vikings received four first-place votes and had 72 points in the polling. Defending champion Alaska Anchorage also received four first-place votes and wound up with 67 points.

The poll and a conference preview, including capsule summaries of each team, are available by clicking on this link.

SEASON OUTLOOK
From the very start of the 2009 GNAC schedule, Seattle Pacific put itself smack into the middle of the title chase. The Falcons are expecting nothing less of themselves in 2010.

Coming off a 17-12 overall record, including a 11-5 mark in conference play, SPU returns two of the most highly productive members of last season's squad. Senior outside hitter Sarah Risser (Santa Barbara, Calif.)  was a unanimous All-GNAC first-team selection. The 5-foot-9 Risser led the Falcons with 366 kills and 1,061 total attacks. She also had 308 digs and racked up a team-leading 15 kill-dig double-doubles.

Record-setting junior libero Anna Herold (Bothell, Wash./Shorecrest HS) also is back on the court. A second-team All-GNAC choice last year as a sophomore after winning conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2008, Herold came up with 614 digs. That broke her own single-season school record of 579 from 2008. With 1,193 career digs, Herold is just 360 away from breaking the career school record of 1,552 set by Torri Mount from 2005-08.

Other key returners for Seattle Pacific are junior outside hitters Paige Hoffman (Encinitas, Calif.) and Lindsey Wodrich (Richland, Wash./Richland HS), and sophomore setter Shelby Swanson (Kennewick, Wash./Kamiakin HS). Wodrich had five kill-dig double-doubles last season, and Hoffman, at .252, was among the leading hitters for the Falcons. Swanson gradually worked her way into regular playing time at setter, and by season's end had three assist-dig double-doubles, including career highs of 29 assists and 14 digs in the same match (Oct. 3 against Montana State Billings).

SPU has seven talented freshmen coming aboard. One of them – libero Christina Brashear (West Linn, Ore.) – was here in 2009, but missed the season with an injury. Middle blocker Nikki Lowell (Claremont, Calif.) is a transfer from Gonzaga and brings significant jumping ability. Setter Holly Mueller arrives from Saratoga, Calif., after helping her high school team go 39-0 last fall. Emily Oslie (Salem, Ore.) is a 6-foot-3 opposite who was a first-team All-Central Valley League pick at Sprague High School. Outside hitter Nicole Schwend (Canby, Ore.) was the Pacific Conference Player of the Year at Canby High School. Nikki Cheek (Puyallup, Washl/Emerald Ridge HS), at 5-11, and Taylor Greig (Ventura, Calif.), at 5-10, will add some valuable depth at middle blocker.

COACH CHRIS JOHNSON
During his five years at Seattle Pacific, Chris Johnson has had teams that are loaded with talent, teams that had to rebuild -- and, last season, a team that found its footing again and got back into the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title hunt.

Got back into the NCAA tournament, too.

Now, having guided three of his five Seattle Pacific teams to the volleyball big dance, Johnson has the Falcons aiming even higher heading into 2010. The GNAC title is up for grabs, and the conference, thanks in part to Johnson's Falcons, gained some added respect in '09 by earning two of the eight berths in the NCAA West Regionals.

Since taking over as head coach prior to the 2005 season, Johnson has built an 86-50 record at the SPU helm. In addition to those three NCAA trips, he also has been in charge of two conference champions, including the 2006 team that was the best in school history with its 24-3 record, including perfect 18-0 mark in GNAC play.

A graduate of Interlake High School in nearby Bellevue, Johnson went on to play volleyball for three years at national NAIA power Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif., while earning his bachelor's degree in art. He then became an assistant coach at Westmont for three years before joining the SPU program under coach Kellie Ryan in 2004. The following year, he moved up to the top spot on the Falcons' bench, becoming a college head coach for the first time and just the third head coach for SPU since the program started in 1986.

MILESTONES IN THE MAKING
-- Sarah Risser, who had 15 kill-dig double-doubles last season, is on the verge of 600 career kills (she enters the season with 578) and 500 digs (comes in with 454).
-- Anna Herold, having set the SPU single-season record for digs as a freshman and sophomore, is well within range of owning the all-time SPU career mark before her junior season is finished. Herold has 1,193, putting her 360 away from breaking the mark of 1,552 set by Torii Mount from 2005-08.
-- Senior setter Joelle Perez (Vancouver, Wash./Heritage HS) is 71 assists away from 2,000.
-- The Falcons are three victories away from their 100th in GNAC play.

DOUBLE-DOUBLES AND OTHER DELIGHTFUL DIGITS
-- The Falcons put 36 double-doubles into the books in 2009. That was nearly twice as many as the 20 they recorded the previous season. Players who accounted for 25 of those are returning: Sarah Risser (15), Lindsey Wodrich (five), Shelby Swanson (three) and Joelle Perez (two).
-- Counting all matches both conference and non-conference, Seattle Pacific led all of its GNAC counterparts in kills per game (13.42), assists per game (12.60) and lowest opponent's hitting percentage (.156) in 2009.
-- In 29 matches last fall, the Falcons kept their opponents below .200 hitting in 20 of them.

UP NEXT
Seattle Pacific will play four matches at the Hawaii Invitational in Laie on Oahu next week. First up is a rematch on Friday, Sept. 10, at Hawaii Hilo, with the Falcons hoping to turn the tables after the NCAA-qualifying Vulcans came from two games down last year to win a non-conference match in Brougham. The Falcons also will play at Brigham Young-Hawaii on Friday, then visit Chaminade and Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, Sept. 11.

TICKET TALK
Tickets for SPU's home matches can be purchased at Brougham Pavilion (3414 3rd Ave. W.) on match day. Ticket windows open one hour prior to the listed start time for all home matches.

General admission tickets are priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Groups or teams of 10 or more may qualify for special general admission rates by calling (206) 281-2085 at least 72 hours in advance.

SPU students who show their school identification will be admitted free to all home matches.

AROUND THE GNAC
Click this link for a look at results, schedules, stats and notes from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference..