University of Alaska Anchorage Athletics

PORTLAND, Ore. – After sharing the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title last year, Alaska Anchorage and Northwest Nazarene are again the favorites in 2018-19, with NNU edging UAA atop the GNAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released Wednesday by the league office.

Coming off its fourth straight regular-season title and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, UAA received 115 total points and five first-place votes in balloting by the GNAC’s 11 head coaches, while NNU received 116 points and six first-place votes. Simon Fraser and Western Washington tied for third in the poll with 83 points.

The Seawolves return four starters from last year’s team that finished 27-5 overall and 18-2 in the league, including 2018-19 GNAC Preseason Player of the Year Hannah Wandersee and fellow unanimous Preseason All-GNAC pick Yazmeen Goo. A 6-2 center from Kodiak, Wandersee averaged 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and a league-best 1.5 blocks per game as a junior, while Goo averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 assists and a league-best 2.9 steals per contest as a sophomore.

Three more seniors give the Seawolves perhaps the nation’s deepest backcourt, with former transfers Kian McNair (6.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.7 spg) and Sydni Stallworth (5.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg) joining 5th-year shooting guard Tara Thompson (6.4 ppg, .380 3FG), who could become the program’s all-time three-point leader this year.

Reigning GNAC Coach of the Year Ryan McCarthy also gets back sophomores Sala Langi and Tennae Voliva after both contributed solidly as rookies, although the Seawolves learned recently that sophomore guard Nicole Pinckney will miss the season due to a knee injury.

Div. I transfers Cameron Fernandez (Washington State) and Jeneva Toilolo (New Mexico State) figure to make an immediate impact, along with returning redshirts Victoria Langi and Safiyyah Yasin, and true freshmen Jahnna Hajdukovich and Kimani Fernandez-Roy.

The Seawolves start with an exhibition game Nov. 4 at Div. I power Duke, before beginning the regular season against fellow Div. II foes Holy Names and San Francisco State, Nov. 10-11 in San Francisco.

UAA makes its home debut Nov. 16 against Cal State East Bay at the Alaska Airlines Center. Call 907-786-1562 or visit GoSeawolves.com or AlaskaAirlinesCenter.com for tickets.