ATLANTA, Ga. (March 27, 2003) -- RUSSELL ATHLETIC and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) have selected Gordy Presnell of Seattle Pacific University, as the 2003 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. Presnell becomes the 21st coach in history to receive this accolade, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1983.

Coach Presnell completed his sixteenth season at Seattle Pacific University. His team finished the regular season at 27-0 and reached the NCAA Regional Final in the Division II Tournament. Presnell has won more games than any other coach at SPU, and he surpassed 300 career wins in 2002.

"RUSSELL ATHLETIC would like to congratulate University of Seattle Pacific University head coach Gordy Presnell for being named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year," said Rod McGeachy, Vice President of Marketing for Russell Athletic. "RUSSELL ATHLETIC knows that attaining the respect of ones peers is the highest accolade a coach can receive."

Presnell is one of six WBCA National Coaches of the Year selected by the Association, which also names winners for each of the other four WBCA collegiate divisions (NCAA Divisions I, III, NAIA and JC/CC) plus the High School division. Each collegiate winner is selected through a two-level process. The first level is by region, in which coaches from each WBCA geographical region vote for their respective top coach. Presnell, having received the most votes in WBCA Region 8, advanced as a finalist to the National level of the selection process along with the other seven Region Coaches of the Year in NCAA Division II.

Presnell and the national winners from the other five divisions will be presented to the WBCA membership at the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA Coach of the Year Banquet on Monday, April 7, at 1 p.m., at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Ballroom. The banquet is part of the 2003 WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four in Atlanta.

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA visit its website at www.wbca.org.