On the final day of the 2015 year, we want to thank all of our fans and supporters for following Western Washington University Athletics. It was another special year for our student-athletes, with a lot of accomplishments both in the classroom and on the field of play. We enter 2016 on a high note, earning the No. 3 spot in the Learfield Sports Director's Cup NCAA Division II standings following the Fall Championships season.

Here are some highlights from each sport during the 2015 season:

Women's Soccer:

• Reached NCAA II Final Four, losing to eventual three-time national champion Grand Valley State.
• Earned highest national ranking in school history at No. 3 in NSCAA Coaches Poll.
• Set school record for wins with 21 and had a 20-match unbeaten streak.
• Won the GNAC regular season title for fourth consecutive season (also won GNAC Tournament).
• Travis Connell was named the GNAC Coach of the Year.
• Delanee Nilles named GNAC Defender of the Year and NSCAA First Team All-American
• Catherine Miles named All-Region and finished with 45 career goals (4th-most in WWU history).

Women's Volleyball:

• Reached NCAA II Final Four, losing to eventual national champion Wheeling Jesuit.
• Finished with 27-6 record, 5th-most wins in program history.
• Second trip to NCAA Final Four in program history.
• Reached the NCAA Tournament for fourth consecutive season.
• Placed 2nd in GNAC with 17-3 record, including perfect 10-0 record on the road.
• Rachel Roeder named honorable mention AVCA All-American.
• Abby Phelps named GNAC Freshman of the Year.
• Kayleigh Harper named HERO Sports Newcomer of the Year.
• Jennica McPherson and Kayleigh Harper named to NCAA Elite 8 All-Tournament team.

Cross Country:

• Women's team recorded highest finish in program history since joining the NCAA in 6th place.
• Taylor Guenther earned All-America honors with 26th-place finish at NCAA II Women's National Meet.
• Tracy Melville was 5th-fastest freshman in national meet placing 52nd overall.
• Women's team also placed 2nd in the NCAA West Regional and GNAC Championships.
• Men's team placed 6th in the West Regional, narrowly missing the NCAA Championships.
• Andrew Wise placed 14th in the regional meet to earn USTFCCCA All-Region honors.
• WWU hosted the GNAC Championships at East Lake Padden Park.

Men's Soccer:

• Finished 5-10-3 overall during the 2015 season.
• Had four players named to GNAC Academic team.
• Recorded upset of No. 12 Northwest Nazarene in a home match Oct. 10.
• Tied then No. 6 Cal State Los Angeles 1-1 Sept. 3.
• Adam Talley tied for 3rd in the GNAC with 8 goals.
• Tyler Visten ranked 2nd in the GNAC with 70 saves.

Men's Golf:

• Placed 19th at NCAA II South Central/West Regional.
• Placed 2nd at the GNAC Championships.
• Mark Strickland and Chris Hatch named 2nd-team GNAC All-Stars.
• Transfer Brett Johnson recorded three top 10 finishes in the fall season...72.29 scoring average.

Women's Golf:

• Won fifth consecutive GNAC Conference Championship.
• Kristen Hansen was the GNAC medalist and Jenn Paul finished tied for 3rd at the GNAC Tournament.
• Jenn Paul named GNAC co-Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year...scoring average of 76.3.
• Bo Stephan named GNAC Coach of the Year for fourth time in last five seasons.
• Jenn Paul recorded three top 10 finishes in the fall season, recording a 75.33 scoring average.

Rowing:

• Varsity 4 placed first in grand finals at Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta.
• Varsity 8 placed 3rd at Pacific Coast Rowing Championships.
• Named CRCANational Scholar-Athletes were Emily Bartlett, Kristin Foster, Katya Hewitt, Megan Marler and Molly Ware.

Softball:

• Finished 30-18 and earned No. 2 seed in the GNAC Tournament...advanced to GNAC championship game.
• SS Alicia Fine named GNAC Newcomer of the Year.
• P Makinlee Sellevold (25-9, 2.33 ERA) named GNAC Freshman of the Year...five-time GNAC Pitcher of the Week.
• Alicia Fine, Makinlee Sellevold and Alexie Levin named first-team All-GNAC.

Men's Basketball:

• Finished the 2014-15 season 20-11, tied for 5th in the GNAC (11-7)...lost to SPU in the GNAC title game.
• Off to 8-4 start in the 2015-16 season, including a 2-1 mark in conference play.
• Anye Turner named first-team All-GNAC...Jeffrey Parker and Ricardo Maxwell named second-team.
• Won 10 consecutive games before losing season finale to SPU.

Women's Basketball:

• Finished 21-9 in 2014-15, placing 2nd in the GNAC Tournament (lost to Alaska Anchorage in final).
• Placed 3rd (13-5) in GNAC regular-season standings.
• G Jenni White named first-team All-GNAC, G Taylor Peacocke and C Kayla Bernsen were second-team picks.
• F Rachel Albert, G Aleisha Hathaway and Peacocke named GNAC academic all-stars.

Women's Track and Field:

• Tied for 12th at the NCAA II Outdoor Championships and 4th in the GNAC Championships.
• Katelyn Steen placed 2nd in 3,000-meter steeplecase (10:13.93) and 3rd in 5,000 (16:46.36).
• Katie Reichert was 5th (161-8) in javelin at nationals to earn USTFCCCA All-America.
• USTFCCCA West Region all-stars were Megan Mortensen (Discus), Haley O'Connor (Steeplechase), Katie Reichert (Javelin) and Katelyn Steen (Steeplechase and 5,000).
• Indoor squad placed 36th at nationals in the team standings.
• Katelyn Steen placed 4th in the 5,000 meters and 10th in the 3,000 in the NCAA II Indoor meet...Steen was named the USTFCCCA West Region Track Athlete of the Year.
• Jasmine McMullin won the GNAC Indoor Championships in triple jump.

Men's Track and Field:

• Placed 23rd in the NCAA II National Outdoor Championships.
• Overcame 45-point favorite Alaska Anchorage at GNAC Outdoor meet to win fourth consecutive conference title and 6th overall to set a GNAC record for most championships.
• Slater Hirst finished 2nd in the Javelin and named GNAC Athlete of the Year.
• Alex Donigian was 3rd in the 100 meters to earn All-America honors.
• Brett Watson named GNAC Male Athlete of the Meet at the conference championships, breaking the 49-year-old school record in the long jump...also won his third consecutive title in the high jump.
• Pee Wee Halsell named GNAC Coach of the Year, his 6th time to win the Men's T&F Coach of the Year award.
• Indoor squad tied for 28th at the NCAA II Championships and 2nd in the GNAC.
• Alex Donigian placed 2nd in the indoor 60 meters (6.72), just .001 behind the winner to earn first-team USTFCCCA All-America honors.