TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team will begin its season on Friday in Portland, looking to build off the success of last year's team that finished with the program's first winning record since the 2008-2009 season. 
 
The Lutes are coming off a winning season in the 2018-2019 year in which the team finished 14-10. This year's roster features seven returners, one junior college transfer, and four first-years. The smaller roster size with a good balance between younger and older players has the Lutes poised to make a push up the Northwest Conference Standings after finishing 7-9 in league play in 2018-2019. 
 
"Our expectations this season are high with our core experienced players returning. Madison and Emma are returning all conference players and Katie was runner up for freshman newcomer of the year. So our expectations are pretty high this year. The last few years our goal was just to compete and continue to build. This year we are looking to do some damage," said Head Coach Jennifer Childress who enters her seventh year at the helm for the Lutes. 
 
"In my seven years here this is definitely the most cohesive team. You can see this in their genuine care for each other and how they read each other on the court. It's a lot of fun having a tight knit group. This team probably has the highest basketball IQ. Our ability to read and react shows versus being programmed. We play with genuine confidence and know what we're able to do on the court."
 
This year's team features two seniors: Kylie Rademacher and Emma Janousek. Rademacher is a two sport athlete at PLU also competing on the tennis team. She hails from Enumclaw, Washington and is an Elementary Education major. During the 2018-2019 season she appeared in 22 games. Janousek has been one of the main ball handlers for the Lutes the past two years. She is from Arlington, Washington and is an Education major. During the 2018-2019 season she averaged 10.8 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game, earning Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference honors.
 
"Emma is a leader on the court with her being in the point guard position and she has such a high basketball IQ. She has been well coached all throughout her history playing basketball and understands the game. The women respect her and she walks the talk. The pace of the game flows through her."
 
"Kylie Rademacher will be expected to put a lot of time in the paint. She's a versatile player and we will look to her. Our two seniors are the hardest working players in practice and games so everyone respects them for that."
 
Katie Taylor and Madison Salisbury return after proving themselves as significant offensive threats last year. Taylor's freshman year featured some high scoring games as she often caught fire from behind the arc. She had a season-high 25 points against Linfield and averaged 11.0 points per game, shooting 43.1 percent from three-point range. Salisbury was the leading scorer for last year's team averaging 13.9 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game. The 6 foot left handed guard and Honorable Mention All-NWC selection gave teams fits underneath the basket. 
 
Coach Childress has a tough schedule set up for the Lutes as they begin their 2019-2020 season.
 
"Our goal is to make it to the NWC tournament and we are primed to do so. Our pre conference schedule includes four NAIA schools, which are all scholarship based opponents, Oshkosh, and Trinity."
 
The tough non-conference schedule will prepare the Lutes for a postseason bid. There is a lot to look forward to this season for the Lutes and it all kicks off Friday at 3 p.m.  
 
Nov. 8: PLU vs. Warner Pacific in Portland, Oregon (3 p.m.)
 
Series History: The Lutes and Knights have met 10 times since the series began during the 2002-2003 season with PLU holding a 7-3 advantage in the series. The two teams met last season on Nov. 24 in Olson Gymnasium with PLU topping WPU 78-65 behind a 19=-point, 10-rebound performance from Emma Janousek. 
 
About the Knights: Warner Pacific (2-0) heads into Friday's tilt having already played two regular season games and two exhibitions against Division I competition. The Knights opened the season in California, smashing California State University-Maritime 86-35 in the season opener back on Oct. 25 before outlasting Simpson University 77-67 the following day. 
 
Since then, WPU has played two exhibitions, falling 71-51 to intracity rival Portland State University on Oct. 30 and stumbling 105-45 to Gonzaga University on Saturday.
 
The Knights have a balanced scoring attack with five players averaging in double figures. Gabriella Bruno leads the way with a 19.5 points per game average while Darbi Pink adds 16.0 ppg. Payton Whitmore adds 14.0 ppg as a spark off the bench while Samantha Morgan and Celeste Pantoja both add 12.5 ppg. Kali Kruger is WPU's leader on the glass, averaging 7.0 rebounds per game. 
 
Nov. 9: PLU vs. Multnomah in Portland, Oregon (1 p.m.)
 
Series History: The Lutes and Lions have met just once, a 69-64 Multnomah victory during the 2016-2017 season.
 
About the Lions: Multnomah (1-0) opened the year by throttling Yellowstone Christian College 69-37 back on Oct. 19 while coming up short 104-48 in an exhibition game on Tuesday against Division I Portland State.
 
Against YCC, the Lions trailed the Centurions 11-5 after one quarter of play before outscoring YCC40-13 over the next two quarters to cruise to the win. Rachelle Tau set the tone with 14 points and nine rebounds with Alagza Portis chipping in 13 points and six boards.