SEATTLE – Seattle Pacific University women's basketball head coach
Karen Byers announced the team's 2025-26 schedule on Tuesday afternoon, featuring nonconference games in California, Florida, Oregon and Idaho, and a loaded Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule culminating in the GNAC Championships in Bellingham, Wash., March 5-7.
The Falcons open the year at home on Nov. 14-15 when they host the GNAC-CCAA challenge. Dominguez Hills, Cal State LA, and Western Washington will be in Seattle for the four-team tournament. The Falcons play Cal State LA on Nov. 14 and Dominguez Hills on Nov. 15. Both games tip off at 7:30 p.m. inside Royal Brougham Pavilion.
It'll be three road games in three days for the Falcons. SPU takes on Occidental College on Nov. 20 at 7:00 p.m. The next day, they take on Azusa Pacific, followed by a game against CUI. The Falcons tip off against the Cougars and Golden Eagles at 3:00 p.m. in Irvine, Calif.
The Falcons will make a 3,274-mile trip for another four-team tournament on Nov. 28-29. SPU plays Nova Southeastern and Palm Beach Atlantic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Both games start at 9:00 a.m. PST.
Nonconference play is broken up by conference games during the first week of December. It's a rare Wednesday and Friday slate for the Falcons. They'll host Simon Fraser on Dec. 3, followed by a game against Western Washington on Dec. 5. Both games start at 7:00 p.m.
The Falcons play George Fox on Dec. 10 before their final four-team tournament of the season. SPU travels to Nampa, Idaho, to play Colorado Mesa on Dec. 19 and Westminster on Dec. 20. Both games tip off at 4:00 p.m. PST.
The GNAC schedule kicks into full gear on Jan. 3, 2026, when the Falcons host Montana State University Billings at 2:00 p.m. On Jan. 15, Central Washington is in town for a 5:15 p.m. game. The final home game in January will take place between the Falcons and Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 17 at 4:15 p.m.
February features four home games for the Falcons. On Feb. 5, Western Oregon is in Settle for a 7:30 p.m. game. Then on Feb. 7, Saint Martin's makes the quick trip north for a 2:00 p.m. game. On Feb. 19, Alaska Fairbanks visits for a 7:30 p.m. game. The Falcons celebrate their seniors on Feb. 21 at 2:00 p.m. when they host Alaska Anchorage.
The top six teams in the GNAC qualify for the GNAC Championships, March 5-7. Western Washington University is the host site for this year's tournament.
The GNAC announced its Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Oct. 14, with the Falcons selected for a ninth-place finish by the league's coaches. The Falcons are coming off an 8-23 season in 2024-25. They won five games on their home court last season. Head coach
Karen Byers' interim tag was removed last May. Under Byers, the Falcons saw a jump in offense throughout the 2024-25 season. SPU averaged 65.6 points per game, eight more points per game than the previous season. They shot 39.8 percent from the field in their increased offense.
The GNAC announced its Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference team on Oct. 21, with Seattle Pacific's
Layne Kearns being featured on the squad. Kearns returns to the Falcons after a strong 2024-25 season. She started all 31 games for the Falcons last season, averaging 10.6 points per game and five rebounds per game. Kearns was one of the best free throw shooters in the conference last season. She went 68-for-78 from the free throw line and had a free throw percentage of .872. It was the second-best in the GNAC last season.
Kearns ranked second on the team and 22nd in the conference with 10.6 points per game season ago. She ranked 19th in the conference with five rebounds per game.
Kearns had several big moments for the Falcons last season. She scored a career-high 20 points against NNU on Feb.13, 2025. In that same game, she had a career-high 11 rebounds for the Falcons. It was her only double-double of the season.
Madison Rubino returns as the lone senior on the 2025-26 roster. She appeared in 29 games last season and made 18 starts for the Falcons. Rubino averaged 6.6 points per game and grabbed five rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 15 points against Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 18, 2025. Rubino's best career rebounding game was against Western Oregon on Feb. 6, 2025, when she pulled down 14 boards for the Falcons.
Grace Leasure and
Haylie-Anne Ohta return for the Falcons as well. Leasure appeared in 29 games and made 13 starts for the Falcons. She had a season-best 11 points against Saint Martin's on Jan. 9, 2025. Ohta returns after 31 games and eight starts for SPU a season ago. She scored a season-best 12 points against MSU Denver on Dec. 21, 2024.
Grace Turley and
Julia Lavigne return to the Falcons as redshirt freshmen. Turley appeared in 31 games and made eight starts for SPU. She dropped 14 points against Saint Martin's on Feb. 8, 2025. Lavigne appeared in 25 games for the Falcons. She had a big night against MSU Billings on Jan. 4, 2025, when she scored a career-high 16 points.
The Falcons welcomed 10 new players to the roster in the 2025-26 signing class.
Naomi Hotchkiss,
Pippa Krieger,
India Pines,
Emma Voellger, and
Cascadia Yates bring size to the Falcons. Each player stands at 6-0 feet or taller.
Ava Mai,
Jasmine Pho, Kara Wilkson, and twin sisters
Jadlyn Senderson and
Layla Senderson are the group of talented guards joining the Falcons.
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