JACKSON, Tenn. --- Biola's women's basketball team looks to cap one of its best regular-season performances over the last 20 years with an equally impressive showing this week at the 2009 NAIA National Championship tournament in Jackson, Tennessee. However, the road begins with a tough test against Trevecca Nazarene on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. PST.

The Eagles earned one of 14 at-large berth into the 32-team tournament field with a 19-11 record. They finished fifth in the toughest conference in the NAIA: the Golden State Athletic Conference. Biola, which had not won more than 10 games in any of the past four seasons, is making its fourth trip to the national tournament and will be looking for their first win. The Eagles have gone 0-3 in their three previous appearances. The last trip came during the 2003-04 season after Biola made a deep run through the GSAC tournament to earn a trip.

"It's an exciting time for the players and program," said Head Coach Ken Crawford, who is in his fourth year at the helm. "It's just the fourth time in 28 years the women's team has had a chance to go and we are hoping it will be the first of many to come."

The 2009 tournament marks the 20th year the town of Jackson, Tennessee has hosted the NAIA's best at the Oman Arena. The town of Jackson has fully supported the NAIA and makes it an outstanding experience for everyone involved.

"It's a great atmosphere," said Crawford. "It's in a different part of the country and so we end up getting a real basketball and cultural experience. We have really felt the 'Southern Hospitality' this week and are grateful to the people of Jackson. I think the team has really enjoyed the experiences, but they are ready to play basketball."

Biola will do just that on Thursday, though it will face a tough Trevecca Nazarene team which reached the NAIA Championship game in 2008. The Trojans placed second in the TranSouth Athletic Conference, the NAIA's other tough conference, and enter the tournament with a record of 25-7. They have earned one of four No. 3 seeds in the field and were ranked No. 9 in the final NAIA poll.

Leading the way for Trevecca is senior center Jennifer Bognar, who averaged 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She was one of three Trojans to average double-figures in scoring. Junior guard Abby Lawson and sophomore forward K.C. Van Atta each averaged 13.6 points per game for Trevecca with Lawson adding 5.5 rebounds per game and 51 blocks.

"Trevecca has the experience, having been here a number of times and playing for the championship last year," said Crawford. "We are excited about playing them and think it will be an interesting match-up for us. They play a different style than we are used to seeing as do most of the schools in their conference. It will be an interesting challenge between the two top conferences in the country."

Biola led the GSAC and was third in the NAIA in rebounding, averaging 44.4 boards per game. Biola also ranks fifth in the NAIA in field goal defense (0.349) and in rebounding margin (+8.9 per game). Senior Megann Alberts and sophomore Jessilyn Conicelli were a big part of those numbers and earned All-GSAC recognition for their play.

Alberts became the first Biola women's basketball player to earn all-conference recognition in three-straight seasons. She led the Eagles with 14.7 points per game and added 6.7 rebounds per contest and a team-best 59 blocks. She currently ranks in the top 10 in nearly every career offensive category at Biola, ranking third in scoring (1,836 points), second in rebounding (897) and fourth in blocks (115).

A large part of Biola's rebounding advantage came thanks to Conicelli, who was one of two players in the GSAC to finish the season averaging a double-double. She led the conference and was fifth in the NAIA in rebounding (10.4/game) and added 12.2 points per game. She also finished second in the NAIA in offensive rebounds, averaging 4.7 per game. Conicelli came within one board of the Biola single game record, pulling down 25 rebounds including 16 on the offensive glass in a win over Ottawa University in December.

With all of the preparation and pageantry the Eagles have experienced over the last week, the team and its coaches are simply ready to get down to business.

"It is going to be good to finally get them on the court," said Crawford. "I think we need to play. We finally get a chance to measure ourselves against another of the country's top teams."

Fans can follow all of the action by watching streaming video from the tournament provided by the NAIA and JumpTV at http://www.watchnaia.com.