The University of San Francisco Dons are off to a solid 4-1 start, and following a 19-15 CIT semifinal season, the university has rewarded head coach Rex Walters with a contract extension. Walters is in his fourth season with the Dons and is 46-53 thus far.
After a tough 11-19 start with a 3-11 WCC record, Walters has quickly turned the Dons into a force in West Coast Conference play. The Dons finished 2010-11 with a 19-15 record and a 10-4 record in conference play, including a home win over conference-power Gonzaga.
The Dons task only gets more difficult this season as BYU joined the WCC this offseason. The Cougars may only be around for one season, but they add two more extremely difficult games to the conference slate. Gonzaga and Saint Mary's have been considered the top dogs lately, while USF and Santa Clara have occupied the second tier of teams.
San Francisco returned their entire starting lineup this year, which puts them in a strong position to make a move to the top tier of teams. They were stunned by an intriguing North Dakota State squad to start the season, but have rebounded to win four straight, including a pair of thrillers over Louisiana-Lafayette and San Jose State. The Dons are currently heading to Alaska for the Great Alaska Shootout.