The Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) women’s basketball team enters the 2008-09 season with a No. 11 ranking in the National Athletic Interscholastic Association (NAIA) after one of the program’s most successful campaigns last season. “We’re in a rebuilding year,” said PLNU head women’s basketball coach Bill Westphal. “No coach likes to admit that, but we have lost five seniors from last year and two other players. One got married and the other (is out) due to injury.” The Sea Lions open the season on the road in Memphis on Friday, Nov. 21 against Southern Nazarene in the State Farm Music City Classic. PLNU posted a 29-3 overall record last season and won the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) regular season title with a 19-1 record, along with the GSAC Tournament title. PLNU also qualified for the NAIA Tournament to finish the 2007-08 year ranked No. 3 nationally. Point Loma’s current roster is relatively inexperienced: one senior, Bonnie Zabinsky; three juniors, Danielle Arriola, Liah Ector and Colleen Planeta; and three sophomores, Alex Chatfield, Amanda Franz and Avery Lee. The roster also includes incoming freshmen Nicole Anderson, Jessie Ashton, Briana Colon, Alicen Frankenberg, Pernilla Hanson, Kaitlyn Trotter and Brittany Stanley. Colon, Hanson and Trotter are all considered standout players. Hanson and Colon led Magnolia High School in Anaheim to the Southern California Division III championship. Hanson was the Orange League Player of the Year and Co-Southern California Division III Player of the Year. Colon was also named to the Orange League First team. Trotter earned All-League honors at San Dimas High School. “We have a decent freshmen class,” said Westphal. “They are still inexperienced but I like our three freshmen. It is not a question of if but when they will be good this year.” Of the top three returning players, Arriola is injured. As a result, Westphal said the Sea Lions will rely heavily on Planeta and Ector. Planeta, averaged 10.7 points per game in 2007-08 and earned honors as First Team NAIA All-American and All-GSAC. She was also twice named GSAC Player of the week. Ector averaged seven points and five rebounds per game. Franz will also be counted on to contribute this year. She averaged more than five points per game and recorded 46 assists, 43 rebounds and 28 steals. Franz averaged 20 minutes per game last year but will get significantly more playing time this year, Westphal said. The five seniors who left after last season are Kerra Sutton-Wodarski, Kati Hilbelink, Brittany Dove, Meghan McGuire and Angela Manjarrez. Sutton-Wodar-ski led the team in scoring and Hibilink was tied for most assists. “On paper we have a strong starting five, but if anything goes wrong we don’t have too much wiggle room,” Westphal said. The lack of experienced depth has concerned Westphal throughout the preseason. “This year, we might not have enough people at practice,” Westphal said. “Because of that, our first team is able to dominate our second team. But when our starters get into an actual game they aren’t used to the competition,” he said. Westphal, now in his tenth season as PLNU head basketball coach, is coming off a GSAC Coach of the Year award. He has led the Sea Lions to six consecutive seasons of 20 wins and NAIA appearances. “It takes about 10 games to get into the flow of competition but we really don’t know what we have right now,” Westphal said.