GREELEY -- For Northern Colorado basketball coaches Tad Boyle and Jaime White, it's been a long offseason of planning, recruiting and recovering.

That all changes tonight, with the beginning of camp for both coaches and their programs. It's time to get started and get moving on the 2009-10 Northern Colorado men's and women's basketball seasons.

White will start things off with a 5-7:30 p.m. full-squad practice inside Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion, while Boyle's team will do the same at the same time in the Bears' on-campus practice facility.

Both sessions are open to the public, and all Northern Colorado practices from now until the end of the season are free and open to the public.

For White, tonight's practice begins a journey to build on a strong 2008-09 season. The Bears finished 12-18 overall and 5-10 in the Big Sky Conference last season. Now, Northern Colorado is hoping to improve on that this year and qualify for its second Big Sky Conference Tournament berth, after doing so in 2007-08, its first season of eligibility.

Boyle's program enters his the 2009-10 camp without the services of seniors Jabril Banks (12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in 2008-09) or Robert Palacios (2.8 ppg, 3.4 rbg). But his Bears do have the distinction of having qualified last season for their first conference-tournament berth.

They'll look to continue that ascent this season.

It's shaping up to be an exciting winter at Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion this season, so come on out and take a look at what Boyle and White are building.

TAD BOYLE'S MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON SCHEDULE

• Friday, Oct. 16: 5-7:30 p.m. (Practice facility)
• Saturday, Oct. 17: 9-11:30 a.m. (Butler Hancock)
  
• Sunday, Oct. 18: 6-8 p.m. (BH)
  
• Monday, Oct. 19: 3-5:30 p.m. (PF)
  
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Wednesday, Oct. 21: OFF
  
• Thursday, Oct. 22: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Friday, Oct. 23: 3-5:30 p.m. (PF)
  
• Saturday, Oct. 24: 9-11:30 a.m. (BH)
  
• Sunday, Oct. 25: 6-8 p.m. (BH)
  
• Monday, Oct. 26: OFF 
• Tuesday, Oct. 27: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
• Wednesday, Oct. 28: 3-5:30 p.m. (PF)
  
• Thursday, Oct. 29: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Friday, Oct. 30: 3-5 p.m. (PF)
  
• Sunday, Nov. 1: OFF
• Monday, Nov. 2: 3-5:30 p.m. (PF)
• Tuesday, Nov. 3: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
• Wednesday, Nov. 4: Exhibition vs. Western State -- 7:05 p.m. (BH)
  

JAIME WHITE'S WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON SCHEDULE

• Friday, Oct. 16: 5-7:30 p.m. (BH)
• Saturday, Oct. 17: 10-12 a.m. (PF)
  
• Sunday, Oct. 18: OFF
  
• Monday, Oct. 19: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH))
  
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: 2:30-6 p.m. (PF)
  
• Wednesday, Oct. 21: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Thursday, Oct. 22: 2:30-6 p.m. (PF)
  
• Friday, Oct. 23: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Saturday, Oct. 24: 10-12 a.m. (PF)
  
• Sunday, Oct. 25: OFF
  
• Monday, Oct. 26: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Tuesday, Oct. 27: 2:30-6 p.m. (PF)
  
• Wednesday, Oct. 28: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Thursday, Oct. 29: 2:30-6 p.m. (PF)
  
• Friday, Oct. 30: 4-6:30 p.m. (BH)
  
• Saturday, Oct. 31: 10-12 a.m. (PF)
• Sunday, Nov. 1: 10-12 a.m. (BH)
• Monday, Nov. 2: Exhibition vs. Regis -- 7:05 p.m. (BH)