BELLINGHAM, Wash. – For the ninth consecutive season, the Western Washington University volleyball team is dancing!
 
The Vikings carry a 16-match winning streak into the NCAA Division II Championships where they were announced Monday evening as the No. 2 seed in the West Region.
 
WWU will travel to play in the eight-team regional held December 2-4 on the campus of Cal State San Bernardino. The Vikings, ranked No. 13 nationally, will match up against a familiar opponent in No. 7-seed Simon Fraser University.
 
"We will never take this for granted," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "It is a grind during the season and it is not easy to get to this portion of the season. This is a pretty special moment and I am pretty excited with the team that I get to bring there."
 
WWU and SFU, who played each other in the regular-season finale Saturday in Carver Gym (3-1 WWU victory), will play on Thursday, December 2 in the 2:30 pm match inside Coussoulis Arena. The Vikings were 2-0 vs. SFU during the 2021 season, including a five-set win in Burnaby, BC to begin the conference schedule in September.

#GNACVB | Four GNAC teams will make the trip to San Bernardino next week for the #D2WVB West Regional!
No. 2 @WWUAthletics 
No. 6 @CWUAthletics 
No. 7 @sfu_athletics 
No. 8 @UAASeawolves pic.twitter.com/MAuFACzNjq
— GNAC Sports (@GNACsports) November 23, 2021

The Vikings are one of four GNAC teams to advance to the postseason, with No. 6 Central Washington, No. 7 SFU and No. 8 Alaska Anchorage also being selected as one of the top eight teams in the West Regional. Defending national champion Cal State San Bernardino will host the regional for the second time in as many championships. The winner of the West Region will move on to the Elite Eight that will be held December 9-11 at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center in Tampa, Florida.

The Vikings completed the regular season with a 21-4 overall record and won their fourth consecutive GNAC title with a 17-1 record.
 
In addition to being the ninth consecutive trip to regionals for the Vikings, this is also the 15th all-time appearance for the Vikings in the NCAA Championships, all coming in the last 20 seasons since 2001.
 
WWU is led by 22nd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams, who has guided the Vikings to a 481-116 (.806) record and all 15 appearances in the NCAA Championships. Over the last five seasons, which includes a four-year run as GNAC Champions,  the Vikings have combined to go 114-17 for a .870 winning percentage and a 74-4 mark in conference play (.949).
 
Outside hitters Gabby Gunterman (3.21 kills/set & 3.53 digs/set) and Calley Heilborn (3.24 kills/set & 4.29 digs/set) pace the WWU offense, while middles Olivia Fairchild (1.38 blocks/set & .330 hitting pct) and Chloe Roetcisoender (1.20 blocks/set & .310 hitting pct) forming one of the best blocking tandems in the nation. Sophomore setter Malia Aleaga has directed the offense to a .240 team hitting percentage (1st in GNAC, 4th in West Region) while averaging 10.86 assists per set (3rd in West Region). Sophomore libero Kasey Woodruff is averaging 4.00 digs per set.

These #D2VB teams are one step closer to the Tampa, Florida sun ☀️!

The #D2VB Championship bracket is set: https://t.co/4KTAoXHnxW. pic.twitter.com/NlV7Oo6AW0
— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) November 23, 2021

  The Vikings will be making their ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, a string of seasons that dates back to 2012. WWU played for the national title in 2018 and advanced to the regional semifinal in 2019, with the 2020 championships canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vikings have advanced to the West Regional championship match in four of the last five seasons, winning regional titles in 2015 (in Anchorage, AK) and 2018 (in Bellingham/Carver Gym). WWU is 22-14 all-time in 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament.