SPOKANE, Wash. - Now is the time for Whitworth to make a run at the Northwest Conference women’s basketball title. And everyone knows it. The Pirates are co-favorites in the NWC this season, based on the 2008 preseason NWC coaches poll.

Head coach Helen Higgs

Head coach Helen Higgs is happy that her team is not shying away from any potential pressure.

“Right now they are embracing it, but they understand that pre-season polls only mean one thing – people respect you,” said Higgs, who is entering her 15th year as the Pirates’ head coach. “But we know we have to do the work to be a favorite on the court, not just on paper.”

Higgs’ team is favored because the Pirates return three key starters from last season, including two All-NWC honorees. Whitworth is also welcoming in a crew of talented and experienced newcomers. Four of the five new players on the Whitworth roster bring junior college experience.

“We are fortunate to have four players with community college experience,” said Higgs. “They bring knowledge of the game and what it takes to compete at the college level. And their experience is very different from incoming freshmen who play a shorter, and often less competitive, schedule than what we face in the NWC.”

Six players return from last year’s squad that finished 13-12 overall and 8-8 in the NWC. They join the five newcomers to give the Pirates an 11-player roster. Higgs may add one more player after the volleyball season is complete.

Alida Bower

“I expect us to play stingier defense, rebound better and have an even stronger offense than last year,” said Higgs. “With our improved depth, our performance on the floor should be much more consistent.”

Leading the way will be Alida Bower (Sr., F, Onalaska, Wash.), who earned First Team All-Northwest Conference honors last winter after averaging 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Natalie Orrell (Jr., G, Wenatchee, Wash.) gives the Pirates two potential all-stars after she picked up honorable mention All-NWC honors in 2007-08 when she averaged 12.6 points per contest. Bower will start at power forward, while Orrell starts at shooting guard.

Tiffany Corigliano (Sr., P, Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) and Liz Horiatis (So., P, Woodinville, Wash.) split time in the post last season and will likely do so again this year. They combined for 14.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game last season. Jamie Scott (Sr., F, Tacoma, Wash.) has returned from an injury that kept her out all last season and will battle for playing time at post or forward also.

Whitworth’s final returnee is Leah Pomante (Jr., G, Colbert, Wash.), who will likely move into the starting role at point guard this season. She played in all 25 games last season and averaged 5.2 points and two assists per game.

Natalie Orrell

Ren Mallory (Jr., G, Spokane, Wash. – CC of Spokane), Heather Burke (Jr., G, Cheney, Wash. – Big Bend CC), Kim Bluff (Jr., G, Cusick, Wash. – Big Ben CC) and Cassie Pilkinton (Jr., F, Chelan, Wash. – North Idaho College) are the four Pirate newcomers with collegiate experience. Pilkinton may have an inside track on the final starting spot, but all four are expected to contribute significantly to this year’s team.

Katie McKenna (RS Fr., G, Sultan, Wash.) is not out of the mix for playing time either and gives Whitworth considerable depth at both guard positions.

The Pirates will play a very challenging schedule this season. The team opens with a trip to Hawaii to take on three NCAA Division II programs, followed by a trip to California to take on three teams from the SCIAC, including potential favorites Cal Lutheran and Redlands. Whitworth will host Cal Lutheran and long-time NCAA DIII power Washington Univ. (Mo.) at the NBC Camps Whit Classic in December.

All of that will prepare Whitworth for the always-challenging Northwest Conference. Traditional powers George Fox, Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound, along with up-and-coming programs like Lewis & Clark and Linfield, will put the Pirates to the test all season long.

“Our conference is always tough, so learning how to compete against top quality competition is the key to success while preparing for league,” said Higgs. “The risk of a tough schedule is that you may not win as many games and could lose confidence, but this is a team that I believe can rise to the challenge of what is in front of them.”