BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team continues its extended season-opening road trip with a pair of games against nationally-ranked opponents at the CSUSM Hoops Classic Friday and Saturday in San Marcos, California.

 

The Vikings are receiving votes in both the WBCA and D2SIDA national polls and ranked No. 4 in the West Region. WWU is 1-0 after opening the 2021-22 season with a 68-56 victory over Humboldt State last Friday in Seattle. 

 

WWU's tough slate this weekend includes facing No. 5 Azusa Pacific (3-0) and No. 19 and tournament host Cal State San Marcos (1-0). The Vikings take on APU Friday at 1 pm and are back on the court at 3 pm Saturday against the host Cal State San Marcos Cougars. Both games will stream live online for free and feature live statistical updates with direct links at wwuvikings.com/Live.

 

In the Vikings season-opening 12-point victory over Humboldt State, senior guard Emma Duff recorded her eighth career double-double with 22 points (9-for-15 FG) and 11 rebounds. WWU also played Corban in an exhibition game in Seattle to complete the first weekend of the season (63-57 loss).

 

WWU is midway in the midst of a stretch of five consecutive road games in Seattle, California and Colorado to open the season, with the home opener on WECU Court in Carver Gym on Thursday, December 2 vs. Lincoln University (California). The Vikings open the 18-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule on Saturday, December 4 vs. border rival Simon Fraser in Carver Gym.

 

Western opens the season predicted to finish 2nd in the annual GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll and are receiving votes (No. 31) in the WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll and the D2SIDA National Poll. WWU went a perfect 6-0 during the abbreviated 2021 spring schedule with wins over Saint Martin's, Seattle Pacific and Central Washington.

 

The 18-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule begins December 4 with the Vikings hosting Simon Fraser University. The complete 2021-22 schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/21-22_WBB.

 

 

Here is a look at the series history between WWU and its opponents this week, Azusa Pacific and Cal State San Marcos:

 

• Azusa Pacific: WWU is 4-6 all-time vs. Azusa Pacific, with a 1-1 record over the last two meetings in 2018-19 (W, 77-74, OT) and 2019-20 (L, 77-73). Vikings and Cougars will be meeting for the ninth consecutive championship season (2-6 record).
• Cal State San Marcos: Vikings and Cougars are meeting for the first time.

 

Following the CSUSM Hoops Classic at The Sports Center in San Marcos, California this weekend, WWU remains on the road over the Thanksgiving weekend with a pair of games in the Denver area playing at Regis (11/26) and Colorado Christian (11/27). The Vikings will play their first home game on WECU Court in Carver Gym on Thursday, December 2 hosting Lincoln University of California (7 pm tip-off).

 

WWU will be facing a pair of schools with the same mascot, the Cal State San Marcos Cougars and the Azusa Pacific University Cougars. An in-depth online search tells us that there are 19 colleges across the country that have a Cougar as its official mascot.

 

Senior Emma Duff got the season rolling with her eighth career double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the 68-56 victory over Humboldt State. The 22 points were two short of her single-game career high of 24 points set December 7, 2019 vs. Montana State Billings. Duff was 9-for-15 shooting against HSU (2-for-5 3FG) and 2-for-2 from the free throw line. Duff has appeared in 96 career games for the Vikings (70 starts) and scored 885 points (9.2 points/game). You can hear an interview with Duff previewing the upcoming games at the CSUSM Hoops Classic by clicking on the image below:

 

Senior guards Emma Duff and Dani Iwami rank in the top 20 in WWU program history for career 3-pointers made. Here is a list of the all-time leader since the rule was adopted in 1987-88:

 

 

The Vikings are receiving votes in the 2021-22 WBCA NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. WWU received 47 votes in the preseason poll, the fifth-most amongst teams receiving votes and No. 31 overall. The Vikings are also receiving votes in the D2SIDA media poll, listed just outside the national top 25 (20 votes, No. 27).

 

Please note that all spectators ages 12 and older are required to provide proof of vaccination, including a CDC-issued Vaccination Record Card (or photo of the card) to enter ticketed events per WWU's updated fan policy for indoor events (went into place Oct. 18). Fans ages 12 and older who cannot provide proof of vaccination may present proof of negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours instead of proof of vaccination (for non-WWU students). WWU students need to show just their "Green Badge" that they are in good standing with the campus vaccination policy.

 

Fans wishing to purchase season tickets for the 2021-22 season can call the WWU Box Office at (360) 650-6103 to reserve their seats for the upcoming season. 

 

WWU led the way with three selections to the 2021-22 GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team. Senior guards Dani Iwami and Emma Duff, along with sophomore transfer forward Brooke Walling were among the 15 players who were selected to the GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team based on voting by GNAC head coaches. Duff was one of nine unanimous selections to the team.

 

 

The Vikings have been voted No. 2 in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, earning 89 total points to narrowly trail the 92 points obtained by preseason favorite Alaska Anchorage. UAA received seven of the 10 first-place votes, followed by two for WWU and one for Northwest Nazarene, who was picked to finish third with 70 poll points.
 

 

The Vikings regular-season 2021-22 schedule features 10 non-conference games (including one exhibition contest vs. Corban) and 18 Great Northwest Athletic Conference games. WWU will begin the season playing its first six games on the road before making an appearance in front of the home crowd on WECU Court in Carver Gym December 2 vs. Lincoln University (CA). The 18-game GNAC slate begins by hosting Simon Fraser University on December 4 in Carver Gym and features five of the first seven conference games at home. The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the GNAC Championships that will be held March 3-5 at Marcus Pavilion on the Saint Martin's University campus in Lacey, Washington. The full 2021-22 WWU Women's Basketball schedule – complete with webcast and live stats links – can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/21-22_WBB.

 

Head coach Carmen Dolfo is in her 31st season leading the program, owning an all-time record of 619-245 (.716) to rank amongst the active and career leaders at the NCAA Division II level for career wins and winning percentage. Dolfo has led the Vikings to 17 trips to the NCAA Championships and a pair of Elite 8 appearances. She became the winningest coach in WWU Athletics history when she collected victory No. 519 on Dec. 3, 2015 vs. Alaska to pass former men's basketball coach Brad Jackson (518-279). Dolfo tallied her 600th career victory on January 11, 2020 vs. Seattle Pacific, in her 840th career game. Dolfo became the 36th active NCAA women's head coach across all divisions to join the 600-win club and is one of 73 women's coaches all-time in NCAA history to reach the milestone. WWU has recorded 21 seasons with 20-or-more wins under Dolfo.

 

The 2021-22 coaching staff includes 10th-year assistant head coach Stacey Turrell, along with graduate assistant Bobbi Westendorf, volunteer assistant Annalisa Fish and student assistant George Irwin.

 

Two WWU women's basketball coaches have more than 400 career victories, with current head coach Carmen Dolfo amassing 619 wins and Hall of Fame coach Lynda Goodrich totaling 411 wins leading the Vikings for 19 seasons from 1971-1990. The program owns an all-time record of 1051-380 for a career winning percentage of .734.

 

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in eight of the last 12 full seasons, and 35 times in the 50-year history of the program. WWU has 21 seasons of 20 or more wins under head coach Carmen Dolfo, who is the winningest coach of any sport at WWU and ranks among Division II active and all-time coaching leaders in wins with 619, winning percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 16 of 21 seasons at the Division II level with two trips to the Final Four. The program has 1,051 all-time wins in the 50-year history of the program, and according to available records, is one of less than 20 women's college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the 1,000-victory milestone.