ARCATA, Calif.---  The Humboldt State Lumberjacks' women's basketball team will begin their 2019-20 season this weekend hosting the West Region Crossover Classic at Lumberjack Arena.  HSU will face two teams from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in Seattle Pacific and Western Washington in the classic while Fresno Pacific from the PacWest Conference will also face SPU and WWU.  Games are set for Friday-Saturday, November 8-9 with tip-off times scheduled for 5pm and 7pm both evenings.
 
The Lumberjacks are coming off a 19-8 season in which the Lumberjacks made their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II West Regional.  The Lumberjacks return five letter-winners from last year's team including 2018-19 First Team All-CCAA honorees Alexia Thrower and Tyra Turner.  Thrower was named the CCAA Newcomer of the Year.
 
Along with Thrower and Turner fourth-year head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson welcomes back Gabrielle Carbajal, Molly Dixon and Madeline Hatch.  Thrower, who was named to the D2CCA All-West Region Team, averaged 17.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field.  Turner averaged 12.4 points per game and 5.6 assists per game. 
 
Carbajal, Dixon and Hatch are back for their senior campaigns.  Last season, Cabrajal averaged 5.5 points per game while Hatch averaged 8.4 points per game.  Dixon saw action in 12 games after transferring from Bellevue College last season.
 
Besides earning honors for their efforts on the court, four Lumberjacks earned honors for their efforts in the classroom.  Cabrajal, Hatch and Turner were also named to the Winter All-Academic CCAA Team.  Then in the Spring, Hatch, Thrower and Turner were selected to the CCAA All-Academic Team.
 
HSU welcomes seven newcomers to this year's squad in all junior transfers.  These seven are Larissa Carvalho (C, Richmond/Contra Costa College), Madison Collins (F, Melbourne, Australia/Cuesta College), Raven Herrington (G, Murrieta/Saddleback College), Sandin Kidder (G/F, Anchorage, Alaska/Grays Harbor College), Ma'Ata Makoni (F, Atherton/San Francisco City College), Emily Packham (G, Inkom, Idaho/Lower Columbia College) and Jasmine Reupenny (G, Chandler, Ariz./Chandler-Gilbert College).
 
WESTERN WASHINGTON:  The Vikings went 17-13 last season including 11-9 in the GNAC.  Three players were named to the GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team in Kelsey Rogers, Lexie Bland and Anna Schwecke.  Bland was named to the Honorable Mention All-GNAC Team while Schwekce was a Second Team honoree.  Rogers averaged 12.0 points and 5.1 rebounds last eason for the Vikings.
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC:  The Falcons went 8-19 last season including 7-12 in the GNAC.  They return one starter in Kaprice Boston who averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds last season in her sophomore season.  Senior Madi Hingston averaged 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 2018-19.
 
FRESNO PACIFIC:  The Sunbirds went 19-10 in 2018-19 including 15-7 in the PacWest.  They return nine players from last year's team. 
 
TOURNAMENT WEBSITE:  The official tournament website of the West Region Crossover Classic is https://hsujacks.com/sports/2019/8/22/west-region-crossover-classic.aspx