2003-04 Women's Basketball Coaches Pre-Season Poll:
| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
02-03 Overall |
02-03 NWC |
| Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
(6) |
77 |
21-8 |
12-4 |
| Whitworth (Wash.) |
(3) |
75 |
19-7 |
13-3 |
| George Fox (Ore.) |
|
60 |
15-10 |
10-6 |
| Puget Sound (Wash.) |
|
55 |
19-7 |
12-4 |
| Linfield (Ore.) |
|
48 |
14-11 |
8-8 |
| Willamette (Ore.) |
|
32 |
8-17 |
2-14 |
| Pacific (Ore.) |
|
27 |
8-15 |
5-11 |
| Lewis & Clark (Ore.) |
|
20 |
9-16 |
4-12 |
| Whitman (Wash.) |
|
20 |
8-16 |
6-10 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
PLU and Whitworth Favored Again in 2003-04
Spokane, Wash -- Pacific Lutheran University and Whitworth College, two of the three teams that battled for a conference title to the final weekend of the Northwest Conference season, are favored to return to the top of the NWC standings in 2003-04.
Pacific Lutheran, which finished tied for second in the NWC last season but won the conference tournament and advanced to an NCAA tournament sectional, picked up six first place votes and 77 total points in the poll. The Lutes return four starters, led by 6'-3" senior Courtney Johnson, who was a First Team All-NWC selection last season. Sophomore wing Kelly Turner was a Second Team choice as a freshman. PLU has won or shared four NWC titles under head coach Gil Rigell.
Whitworth picked up the other three first place votes and 75 points in the poll. The Pirates won their first NWC title since 1995 last winter. Junior forward Tiffany Speer, who was the 2003 NWC Player of the Year, leads a list of three returning starters. Second Team All-NWC pick Sarah Shogren also returns for 2003 NWC Coach of the Year Helen Higgs.
George Fox University was third in the poll with 60 points. The Bruins welcome back two First Team All-NWC performers in sophomore wing Kellie Thomas and senior post Darby Cave. George Fox won conference titles in 2001 and 2000 under head coach Scott Rueck.
The University of Puget Sound finished fourth in the poll with 55 points after finishing tied for second in the conference standings last season. The Loggers welcome the return of First Team All-NWC forward Lindsay May.
Linfield College and Willamette University were sixth and seventh in the poll, with 48 and 32 points respectively. Pacific University (27 points) was 7th in the poll, while Whitman College and Lewis & Clark College finished tied for 8th with 20 points.
This season for the first time the Northwest Conference will not use a conference tournament to decide the automatic (Pool A) bid to the NCAA tournament. That bid will go to the conference champion and winner of the regular season.
Several teams begin play on November 21st.