Question: How many times have Washington teams won back-to-back national titles?

Answer: In NCAA-recognized sports, just once: Women's crew won overall NCAA crowns in 1997 and '98. (For the record, men's crew won consecutive non-NCAA titles in the '40s, '30s and '20s; the women won a string of them in the '80s.)

That list could soon grow. The Washington women's cross-country team, 2008 NCAA champion, is a serious contender to repeat.

"One of our goals is getting to the national meet and doing everything we're capable of doing," said Greg Metcalf, last year's national coach of the year. "If we do that, we'll be very difficult to beat."

The Huskies, named last week the unanimous preseason No. 1 team in the coaches' poll, return five of their top seven finishers from nationals last November.

That group includes sophomores Christine Babcock and Kendra Schaaf, the nation's only freshmen to earn All-American status in 2008. Babcock, the Pac-10 newcomer of the year, placed seventh at the NCAA meet; Schaaf finished 12th.

Also back: Junior Mel Lawrence (25th at nationals), lone senior Katie Follett (26th) and junior Lauren Saylor (41st). Freshmen Allison Linnell and Lindsay Flanagan and junior Kenna Patrick (Jefferson High School), are among the runners competing for the two top-seven spots vacated by departed seniors.

The Huskies won their season-opener easily, taking the Sundodger Invitational Saturday at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Schaaf was the individual winner, setting a course record.