SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team opens its season at Interbay Soccer Stadium this weekend as the Falcons host two nonconference matches that are a part of the SPU Kickoff Classic. The Falcons take on Westminster on Thursday at 1 p.m. Then on Saturday, SPU plays Cal Poly Humboldt at 11 a.m. 
 
QUOTABLE
"We are excited to begin our nonconference season this week, We had some very challenging preseason games during our first two weeks, and have been working very hard at training to prepare for what is ahead. We have two really good opportunities this weekend, against great opponents that will definitely challenge our group, and allow us to continue to grow. I think we are a group that really enjoys each other, and likes to solve things together. We look forward to utilizing that which we have learned thus far in solving two high-quality opponents this weekend." – Head Coach Arby Busey
 
HOW IT WENT IN 2022
The Falcons are coming off a 2022 season in which they qualified for the GNAC Tournament. They entered as a three-seed before falling to host Northwest Nazarene in the semifinals. 
 
SPU finished the season with an 11-6-2 overall record while going 9-4-1 in conference play. The team was excellent at Interbay Soccer Stadium, going 8-2 in 10 home matches. The 2022 was a showcase of consistency for the Falcons. SPU won consecutive games four times, while never losing consecutive matches.  
 
Offensively, the Falcons ranked third in the conference with 1.74 goals per game. They ranked second in assists with 1.32 per game. Defensively, SPU allowed 1.26 goals per game, the third-fewest in the conference. The Falcons had five shutouts throughout the 2022 season. 
 
SPU was well-represented in postseason awards at the end of 2022. The Falcons totaled 32 postseason awards. It started with seven All-Conference honors for the Falcons. All seven of those student-athletes who earned All-GNAC honors return to the team in 2023. Four players were recognized as United Soccer Coaches All-Region honorees. 
 
The Falcons were spectacular in the classroom as well. 15 Falcons earned GNAC All-Conference honors, with six student-athletes earning the nod for the second time. Two Falcons made the grade for the third time in their career. Six Falcons earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. 
 
GNAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its women's soccer preseason coaches poll on Monday, August 14, with Seattle Pacific University totaling 52 points and a second-place selection from the league's coaches.
 
SPU ranks second in this year's GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll. They trail the defending national champion Western Washington Vikings, who received seven first-place votes and 63 points. Northwest Nazarene rounds out the top three with 46 points. Central Washington was the only other school with a first-place vote, finding themselves in sixth with 28 points. 
 
UNITED SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON TOP 25 NATIONAL POLL
The top trio of the 2023 GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll can be found in and around the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 National Poll. The Vikings top the list and enter the new season ranked #1. Both the Falcons and the Nighthawks are receiving votes.
 
THE RETURNERS
A veteran roster returns for head coach Arby Busey in 2023. Graduate seniors Marissa Bankey and Chloe Gellhaus lead the group into the season. Both were named First Team All-GNAC a season ago. Bankey collected USC First Team All-Region, while Gellhaus earned Second Team recognition.
 
Sophie Beadle, Lauren Forster, and Lauren Snedeker return to the squad. Beadle scored five goals and has five assists on her way to Second Team All-GNAC and USC Second Team All-Region honors in 2022. Forster finished with 11 points (Three goals, four assists) and was Second Team All-GNAC. Snedeker had a hand in everything the Falcons do on the pitch and was named Second Team All-GNAC and USC All-Region last season.
 
Kathryn Nyone and Mercedes Cullen will anchor the defense for the Falcons. Nyone was a GNAC Honorable Mention in 2022, with four assists and stout defensive efforts. Cullen will be between the posts for SPU. A season ago, Cullen made 63 saves and had a goals-against average of 1.28 per game. She was also named GNAC Honorable Mention.
 
THE NEWCOMERS
Nine newcomers join the Falcons for the 2023 season. Landry Schoennauer, Nora Patterson, Kaila Ahuna, Lauren Rife, Logann Dukes, Andie Buckley, Ashlyn Valdovinos, and Ella Smith are getting their first taste of collegiate soccer this season. Taylor Krueger joins SPU as the only transfer of the incoming class.  
 
ABOUT THE GRIFFINS
The Griffins are coming off a strong 2022 season. They boasted a 10-6-2 record and went 8-3-1 on their home field. Their only tie in Salt Lake City came against the Falcons. The match on Sept. 5, 2022, finished 2-2. Gellhaus scored twice for the Falcons against the Griffins. 
 
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Poll had Westminster selected for a fourth-place finish. The Griffins did receive a first-place vote on their way to 107 total points. 
 
 ABOUT THE LUMBERJACKS
The Lumberjacks finished 2022 with a 7-5-6 record. They struggled on the road, going 1-5-3 away from Humboldt. The team qualified for its conference tournament a season ago. They fell in the first round to Chico State 2-1. The CCAA tournament berth was the first since 2006 for Cal Poly Humboldt. 
 
This year, the Lumberjacks are picked to finish sixth in the CCAA. They tied with San Marcos with 71 points in the preseason coaches poll. All-CCAA defender Erin Mohr is one of eight returning starters.