Friday, November 1, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – After being picked as the No. 1 team in the NCAA Division II according to The Sporting News and receiving nine first place votes in the GNAC preseason coaches’ poll, Seattle Pacific collected 379 points to rank No. 2 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II coaches’ poll released today.

Western Washington received 216 points in the poll, checking in at the No. 10 spot. Alaska Anchorage also received mention in the poll, picking up 16 points and being listed with ‘others receiving votes.’

SPU, coached by Ryan Looney in his fifth season, won last season’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship tournament and returns three starters including preseason All-American David Downs.

The Falcons hold on No. 2 in this season’s poll matched their ranking from the end of the 2012-13 season, a year in which they went 27-4 and finished second in the GNAC during the regular season. 

Western Washington, which won the GNAC regular season title by going 31-3 in 2012-13, was picked to finish third in this season’s GNAC preseason coaches’ poll. The Vikings reached No. 4 in the NABC poll at the end of last season, as WWU advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 2012-13. 

The Vikings return Richard Woodworth and Austin Bragg to their lineup, and both were unanimous selections to the GNAC 2013-14 preseason all-conference team. 

Alaska Anchorage received the other first-place vote in this season’s GNAC preseason coaches’ poll, and the Seawolves made an appearance amongst other teams listed in the NABC rankings.

UAA’s Teancum Stafford was a unanimous selection to this season’s GNAC preseason all-conference team.