Seattle U. Women's Hoops | Despite depleted roster, Redhawks ready

Seattle University coach Joan Bonvicini snarled at the question.

Why, she wondered aloud, does everyone ask if a Division I mentality has to be installed in her Redhawks players?

It's Bonvicini's first season at Seattle U., a school that will be eligible for the NCAA D-I tournament in 2012-13. But Bonvicini has never found a "D-I mentality" since beginning her coaching career at Long Beach State in 1979.

"It's a championship mentality. And that's what we're going to have around here," she said of the program that found success in Division II.

That begins tonight when SU opens its first complete D-I regular-season schedule by hosting UC Davis at the Connolly Center. The Aggies, who return 11 players, were picked to finish second in the Big West in a coaches' preseason poll.

Following the home opener, the Redhawks will immediately be tested with a tough trip to West Lafayette, Ind., for the Purdue Basketball Travelers Tournament. The Redhawks will face Purdue, Georgetown and Dayton in the tournament. The host Boilermakers are ranked No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' preseason poll.

"I'm excited," said senior point guard Cassidy Murillo. "Those are some big-name schools. It's a tough schedule."

But the Redhawks are brash enough to get through the challenge. The task is more difficult because SU doesn't have much size and will play without three players suspended for the fall quarter — forward Breanna Salley, the team's leading scorer (17.5), guard Elle Kerfooot and forward Mercedes Alexander.

The three failed to meet the requisite credit hours last spring and the university suspended them for the fall quarter. Seattle U. plans to apply to the NCAA for their reinstatement in December.

The Redhawks were 20-9 with the trio in the lineup last season.

Seattle U. returns senior forward Ashley Brown from a season-ending right knee injury and has a strong locker-room leader in Murillo.

"I'm doing a few different things that I haven't done before, but it has been good," said Bonvicini of compensating for the altered roster. "The players are like sponges. So many times when you take over a program, the team before was down or lost or there are chemistry problems within the team. It's not like that at all here. Having a team that has good internal leadership and already believes in themselves — I'm very, very fortunate."

Bonvicini, who has been to the Final Four twice in her career, is returning to the sideline after a year away from coaching. She was fired at Arizona in 2008 following three consecutive losing seasons.

"Coach B is great," Brown said. "There's a positive atmosphere. Practices — you learn a lot and she's willing to be patient and treat us as individuals.

"We're really excited to pull together and play."

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com