SEATTLE – Last November, Maddie Pruden didn't know if she'd be playing any more volleyball for Seattle Pacific. The season was almost over, she was in the process of completing her undergraduate degree and finalizing plans for grad school.
 
Pruden wasn't sure how – or even if – volleyball would fit into those plans.
 
One year later, it's November again. Volleyball did fit into Pruden's plans. She was able to come back and play one final season.
 
Now, she gets to play in the NCAA Tournament.
 
For the first time in 12 years, the Falcons are in the postseason, and will head to California, for the Division II West Regionals in Coussoulis Gym at Cal State San Bernardino.
 
SPU was awarded the No. 5 seed in the eight-team tournament, as announced on Monday's NCAA Selection Show, and will take on No. 4 Cal State Los Angeles in the first round. That match is set for Thursday, Nov. 30. The starting time has not yet been announced.
 
The winner advances to the semifinals on Friday, Dec. 1 against the No. 1 Chaminade vs. No. 8 San Francisco State first-round winner. The championship match is Saturday, Dec. 2, with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.
 
 

"We're kind of right around where we thought we might be," said second-year head coach Jason Rhine, whose 2022 squad barely missed out on making the tourney "We knew it going to be close between No. 3 through 6 (seeds). All of them are good opponents; all of them have a chance to win. It's going to be a battle."
 
Pruden and the national No. 19-ranked Falcons (22-4) will head to the West Regionals as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions. They clinched the conference's automatic NCAA-qualifying berth on Nov. 11 with a 3-0 victory at Montana State Billings. Then, they wrapped up the GNAC crown last Thursday by defeating Saint Martin's in Brougham Pavilion, 3-1.
 
"Just knowing how the (selection) shows have gone in the past and being so disappointed," Pruden said, "it's the feeling of knowing that our hard work has paid off. You just feel satisfied with where we're at and knowing we're going to make it in. I'm just really proud of the team."
 
Cal State L.A. (18-9 overall) tied with Cal State San Bernardino (23-4) for the regular-season California Collegiate Athletic Association championship at 15-3. They met in the finals of the conference tournament this past Saturday, with San Bernardino prevailing, 3-1.
 
The Falcons and Golden Eagles played in the 2022 preseason Cal State L.A. Invitational. The hosts won that, 3-0, and eventually went all the way to the Elite Eight and subsequently the Final Four during last fall's D2 National Championships Festival in Brougham Pavilion.
 
"It'll be fun after two seasons all the way through to see them again and see how both teams have developed," Rhine said. "Both have a lot of the same players. It'll be interesting to see what happens this time."
 
A ROLE TO PLAY – AND SHE PLAYS IT WELL
Pruden has been a big part of all of it. From her spot on the right side, the 6-footer pounded 164 kills this season, playing in 95 of Seattle's Pacific's 97 sets. She was also big on the block with 62, tying her single-season best from last year. She now has surpassed 600 career kills, 200 blocks, and 750 points.
 
 

The well-traveled Pruden, who graduated from Poulsbo's North Kitsap High School across Puget Sound, but who also has lived in two other states and visited 36 states altogether with her family, knew that competitive volleyball likely would end after college.
 
So she hits the books just as hard as she hits the ball. With a 3.88 grade-point average and a three-time GNAC All-Academic selection, Pruden completed her undergrad degree in psychology and now is in the first year of a two-year master's program in marriage and family therapy.
 
"It's cool seeing how the goal that I had way back when I was talking to (former SPU coach) Abbie (Wright) during my junior year of high school has been falling into place," Pruden said "I definitely love the program. It has been tough, but I was kind of prepared for it. I knew it was going to be harder than undergrad."
 
One of the hardest parts was figuring out how to blend her studies with volleyball. It was also one of the most emotional parts for Pruden because she still wanted to play one more year.
 
"The biggest thing that got me through was relying on the Lord and knowing that He would guide me to whatever I was supposed to do," Pruden said  "I was just trusting the Lord and obviously the support of SPU Athletics and my coaches and knowing they would help me as much as they could to try to find a decision."
 
It was early during the final week of last season when it all came together. Throughout this season, everyone around her – coaches, teammates, faculty – have helped Pruden keep it all together.
 
"The flexibility of the coaches and my professors has been amazing," Pruden said. "I couldn't di it without their flexibility. Knowing that I have to prioritize to get things done ahead of time in order to be prepared for matches and communicating with people when I need support has been good.
 
"It was hard, but I'm so thankful for the opportunity to still be here and have this year with the team," she added. "It's very special to me, especially this year."
 
FABULOUS ON THE FRONT ROW
Pruden thus has been able to continue being a part of one of the most productive front-row rotations on any volleyball court, anywhere
 
Sarah Brachvogel had her best season ever at outside hitter. Middle blocker Hannah Hair is the D2 national leader in blocks per set. Middle blocker Allison Wilks is the top hitter in the GNAC and on the brink of becoming the first Falcon to finish a season hitting north of .400. Erin Smith can play opposite or middle, and is solid in either spot. Sydney Perry and Sarah Day provide quality depth.
 
 

"It's just so comforting knowing I can trust them and always have no doubt in their ability, knowing they're going to get a good block or an easy kill," Pruden said. "There's just a lot of confidence in the front row, knowing that our outsides and middles and right sides are going to show up consistently every time. They're confident in themselves, and everyone is confident around them."
 
Now that it's NCAA time, Seattle Pacific certainly wants to stick around for a while. In the West, that's always a tough challenge. Cal State San Bernardino is a perennial national-caliber power. Cal State Los Angeles reached last year's Final Four. Chaminade has more wins (29) than anyone in the region. Central Washington is on a late-season hot streak, having won its last eight in a row after a 3-2 loss to SPU on Oct. 19 in Ellensburg.
 
Of the eight teams in the tournament, six have 20 or more wins.
 
"Obviously, we haven't ever been (to the NCAAs), so I don't have a great idea of what to expect," Pruden said. "I'm just excited for whatever is to come, just taking in the moment, knowing it's going to be the last one eventually. Knowing we've put in so much work, we're just continuing and preparing as much as we can for whoever we face."
 
Rhine said the Falcons are ready to get right to work, while still getting a Thanksgiving breather.
 
"We like preparing and we like to be well prepared," he said "We'll enjoy having time to still have a little bit of a holiday and still have time for some practice on either side of it."
 
How far the Falcons go on the postseason pathway remains to be seen. But they're on that pathway, preparing for more volleyball. That includes Maddie Pruden …
 
… who is thrilled that more volleyball ultimately fit into her plans.