BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University head volleyball coach Diane Flick-Williams has announced the addition of two coaches to the program for the 2019 season.
 
One of the top collegiate programs in the nation features veteran-laden coaching staff, led by Flick-Williams who enters her 20^th season leading the Vikings. 
 
Lead assistant coach James Suh is in his 19^th season with the program and longtime collegiate and international head coach Brad Saindon is in his third season as a volunteer assistant. 
 
Stanwood native Lauren Amundson and former WWU All-American setter Brette Boesel joined the coaching staff this season to complete the leadership of the program.
 
"I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such great people," said Flick-Williams. "While they all bring something different to the table, they are all deeply entrenched in the family values of our program. I'm so excited to have them along for the journey."
 
Amundson comes to WWU after serving as the head coach at Division I Marist for four seasons from 2015-18. At Marist, Amundson helped guide the Red Foxes to a 63-58 (.521) overall record and a 47-25 (.653) record in Metro Atlantic Conference play. Marist had a winning MAAC record in all four seasons she led the program, including a pair of second-place finishes. She was also previously the head coach at NCAA DII Stonehill from 2009-14, leading the Skyhawks to a pair of NCAA Championships appearances. After a standout prep career at Stanwood High School, she played collegiately at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, where she set several program records as a setter.
 
Boesel will serve as the Vikings graduate assistant, transitioning into a coaching role after five years in the program as a player. She was a two-time All-American as a setter for the Vikings from 2015-18, helping lead the program to a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships and two appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament (2015 and 2018). During her playing career she appeared in all 129 possible matches, combining to go 107-22 (.829) overall and 73-7 in GNAC play. She finished with 4,372 career assist, the second-most in WWU and GNAC history.
 
Flick-Williams enters her 20^th season at the helm of the WWU program, guiding the Vikings to 13 NCAA Championships appearances, including a string of seven consecutive. Western is coming off a record-breaking season in 2018 going 30-4, and played in the NCAA II National Championship Match for the second time in program history. The 10-time GNAC Coach of the Year is the WWU and GNAC's all-time leader in volleyball victories with a career record of 424-107 (.798). Among active NCAA II head coaches, Flick-Williams is listed 10^th in all-time winning percentage (.798) and 23^rd in victories (424).
 
The Vikings are ranked No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Preseason Coaches Poll and officially open the 2019 season this week (Sept. 5-7) with four matches at the West Florida Invitational in Pensacola, Florida, beginning with a match vs. tournament host and No. 24-ranked West Florida. The Conference and home opener in on WECU Court in Carver Gym will be Thursday, September 19 hosting Northwest Nazarene in a 7 pm match. 
 
The complete 2019 season schedule and additional information on the program can be viewed atWWUVikings.com/VB.
  Fans can follow WWU Volleyball online at WWUVikings.com/VB, and via social media on Twitter (@WWUVolleyball), Instagram (@WWUVB) and Facebook (@WWUVolleyball).
  The WWU volleyball program has risen to elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last seven seasons and 13 of the last 18 dating back to the 2001 season. The winner of nine Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships, Western won the 2018 GNAC title with a perfect 20-0 record and the 2017 championship by posting a 19-1 league. Over the last two seasons the Vikings have combined to go 57-8 overall and 39-1 in conference play, and over the last four seasons are 107-22 (.829). Led by 20^th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams, the Vikings have posted a 175-37 record over the last seven seasons (.825 winning percentage) and have played in the NCAA II West Region championship match each of the last four seasons (2015-18), winning titles in 2015 and 2018. WWU played for the NCAA II national championship in 2007 and 2018, both national runner-up finishes, have advanced to the NCAA Final Four in two of the past four seasons (2015 and 2015).