May 11, 2009

SPOKANE, Wash. - Western Washington University, which won GNAC titles in men's and women's soccer, men's basketball and men's golf, is the 2008-09 Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Sports Team Champion. It is the first all-sports title for the Vikings and athletic director Lynda Goodrich since 2004-05 when they won the fourth of four consecutive all-sports championships.

Western Washington finished with 151 points and easily outdistanced runner-ups Seattle Pacific and defending champion Western Oregon, which tied for second with 107 points.

WWU also won the men's and women's all-sports titles. In the men's competition, the Vikings scored 73 points to earn their sixth championship in the eight-year history of the award. Western Oregon edged Saint Martin's 51-50 for second-place. It was the best-ever finish for the Saints, whose previous best had been seventh.

In the women's competition, Western Washington dethroned five-time champion Seattle Pacific 78-69. The Vikings won the first two women's all-sports titles (2001-02 and 2002-03), but SPU had dominated the competition since.

Points are awarded (on a two-point increment) based on the final finishes in each of the conference's 15 sports - football, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's golf, baseball and softball.

Six of the conference's nine schools won team titles this year led by WWU's four. Seattle Pacific (women's cross country, women's basketball and women's indoor track and field) and Western Oregon (baseball, men's indoor track and field and volleyball) won three each. Alaska Anchorage won two, finishing first in men's cross country and sharing the women's basketball championship with Seattle Pacific. Montana State Billings (softball) and Central Washington (football) each won one.

ALL SPORTS CHAMPIONS - Year By Year

Year, Overall, Men, Women2001-02 Western Washington 160, Western Washington 66, Western Washington 942002-03 Western Washington 147, Western Washington 58, Western Washington 892003-04 Western Washington 160, Western Washington 76, Seattle Pacific 922004-05 Western Washington 161, Western Washington 76, Seattle Pacific 962005-06 Seattle Pacific 157, Western Washington 58, Seattle Pacific 852006-07 Seattle Pacific 138, Central Washington 57, Seattle Pacific 922007-08 Western Oregon 158, Western Oregon 72, Seattle Pacific 992008-09 Western Washington 151, Western Washington 73, Western Washington 78