BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team returns to the court this week with a pair of home Great Northwest Athletic Conference games on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

 

After having three consecutive games postponed due to health and safety protocols, including road games at Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific last week, the Vikings are set to return to action hosting Central Washington (Thursday, 7 pm) and Northwest Nazarene (Saturday, 4 pm) in Carver Gym. 

 

Due to updated WWU campus health and safety measures, games hosted in Carver Gym through January 23 will be closed to fans. All home games feature a high-definition webcast on YouTube and live statistical updates with links available at wwuvikings.com/Live.

 

The Vikings are one of four unbeaten NCAA Division II programs with a perfect 10-0 record and are at the top of the GNAC standings with a 2-0 record in conference play. Western's overall perfect record includes seven road wins. Dating back to last spring, WWU has a 16-game winning streak and has not endured a loss in over 675 days since the 202 GNAC Championships Final vs. Alaska Anchorage in Seattle.

 

WWU enters the week ranked tied for No. 2 (D2SIDA Media Poll) and No. 5 (WBCA Coaches Poll) for the highest national ranking in the coaches poll since the conclusion of the 2012-13 season (No. 3). The No. 2 ranking in the media poll is the highest WWU has been listed during the NCAA era (since 1998-99). The Vikings are also the top team in the D2SIDA West Region poll receiving all six first-place votes.

 

The Vikings are listed No. 5 in the nation holding opponents to 49.7 points per game, 4th with a 47.5 team field goal percentage (281-for-591), 5th holding opponents to a 31.8 field goal percentage and 4th out-rebounding opponents by 11.5 boards per game.

 

Senior guard Emma Duff leads WWU averaging 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while also contributing 1.4 steals per game. Duff recently surpassed the 1,000-point milestone for her career, becoming the 28th player in program history to join the exclusive 1,000-point scoring club as a Viking.

 

The Vikings balanced scoring attack features seven players averaging at least 6.0 points per game and all 12 active players are playing at least eight minutes per game. Junior guard Mollie Olson has returned to the starting lineup after missing four games and is averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. 

 

Senior guard Dani Iwami is averaging 9.1 points and a team-best 2.8 assists per game and junior guard Avery Dykstra is pouring in 7.4 points and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 58.8% from the field (30-for-51) to rank 3rd in the GNAC.

 

Sophomore post player Carley Zaragoza and freshman guard Riley Dykstra are sparking the Vikings off the bench. Zaragoza leads the team and ranks 2nd in the GNAC with a 58.9 field goal percentage (33-for-56) and is averaging 7.4 points per game. Dykstra is averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

 

 

Western Washington University has extended the no fan policy for WWU Athletic Events through the next two weeks. Due to the heightened concerns over the rising number COVID-19 cases and the Omicron variant, campus administrators announced an extension to remote learning for the next two weeks on Monday. The extension to not allow fans at athletic events through games of January 23 is consistent with the previous decision that aligned with the remote learning policy. Games affected include this week's Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests for the nationally-ranked WWU women's basketball team. The Vikings (10-0) will host Central Washington University on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday, with both games featuring a 7 pm tip-off on WECU Court in Carver Gym. The following week will have a pair of WWU men's basketball games featuring no fans when the Vikings are scheduled to host Seattle Pacific University on January 20 (Thursday) and Montana State University Billings on January 22 (Saturday).

 

The Vikings will be playing just their second game over a 26-day span when WWU and CWU tips it off Thursday in Carver Gym. Western played at Holy Names on December 17 and then hosted Western Oregon on December 30 after a short holiday break. WWU's last three games have been postponed due to health and safety protocols. Games vs. CWU and NNU mark the first games of the New Year (2022) for the Vikings.

 

Here are some facts on the Vikings impressive 10-0 start to the season:

 

• Ranked No. 1 in the West Region in the D2SIDA Media Poll (received all 6 first-place votes).
• Holds No. 2 (D2SIDA/Media) and No. 5 (WBCA/Coaches) national rankings.
• One of four undefeated NCAA Division II programs (10-0).
• Out-scoring opponents by 22.1 points/game to rank 5th in NCAA Division II.
• Won 16 consecutive games dating back to last spring, longest active NCAA II winning streak.
• Holds rebound advantage of 11.5, the 4th-best margin in NCAA Division II.
• Holding opponents to 49.7 points per game, the 4th-best mark in NCAA Division II.
• Team field goal percentage of 47.5 ranks 4th in NCAA Division II.
• Seven of 10 games (and wins) have been on the road.

 

WWU is one of four undefeated NCAA Division II programs (as of 1/11), with the 10 wins the 3rd-most among this group of perfect teams. At 10-0, the Vikings trail only Glenville State (12-0) and Savannah State (11-0) for most wins among undefeated teams. Here is a look at the remaining undefeated NCAA II teams:

 

 

The Vikings lead the GNAC in nearly every team defensive category, including holding opponents to 49.7 points per game for the 5th-best mark in NCAA Division II. WWU also leads the league in opponent field goal percentage (.318), rebounding margin (+11.5) and by limiting opponents to a .205 3-point field goal percentage.

 

Seven of the Vikings 10 wins have come on the road, going 5-0 in true road games and 2-0 in neutral-site games. WWU picked up key road wins over West Region ranked teams Azusa Pacific and Cal State San Marcos. WWU has made road trips to Colorado, Southern California, Northern California and a neutral-site game in Seattle, in addition to going 3-0 inside Carver Gym.

 

WWU leads the GNAC and ranked 4th nationally with a team field goal percentage of .475, connecting on 281-of-591 shots in the first 10 games of the season. As a team has shot at least 48.0 percent in five of 10 games. Here is a look at the leading shooting teams in NCAA II heading into games this week:

 

 

Here is a look at the series history between WWU and opponents this week, Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene:

 

• Central Washington: WWU went 2-0 vs. CWU during the abbreviated 2021 spring season, recording a 81-61 road victory in Ellensburg and 66-54 home victory…the WWU record book shows the Vikings leading the all-time series 97-15 with an 8-5 advantage in the last 13 meetings dating back to the 2015-16 season.
• Northwest Nazarene: Playing NNU for the first time since going 2-1 against the Nighthawks during the 2019-20 season…defeated NNU 66-62 in the 2020 GNAC Championships Semifinal in the last meeting between the two schools on March 6, 2020…WWU is 32-15 all-time vs. NNU while holding a 17-6 advantage in games played in Bellingham.

 

The Vikings moved up one spot to No. 2 (tied) in the D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 5 in the WBCA Coaches Poll entering play this week. Marks WWU's highest national ranking since being a consistent top-10 team in 2012-13, a season that finished with a No. 3 national ranking.

 

Here is a look at the current D2SIDA West Region Media Poll with the Vikings listed No. 1 for the third consecutive week. WWU is receiving all six first-place votes:

 

 

WWU is off to one of its best starts to a season in the last 20 years at 10-0 and has won its last 16 games dating back to the abbreviated 6-0 2020-21 season that was played in February and March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a look at the best winning streaks and starts to season in program history:

 

 

There have been a few schedule changes for the Vikings in upcoming games. Be sure to bookmark the 2021-22 season schedule for up-to-date tip-off times and schedule changes on wwuvikings.com/21-22_WBB:

 

• The Jan. 1 postponed game vs. Saint Martin's has been rescheduled for Feb. 22 (7 pm) in Bellingham.
• The Jan. 27 game at Saint Martin's now features a 5:15 pm tip-off (was 7 pm).

 

Senior Emma Duff is leading the Vikings averaging 14.0 and 7.5 rebounds per game, and added to her impressive basketball resume becoming the 28th player in WWU history to pass the 1,000 career point milestone. Duff now has 1,003 points in 105 games (79 starts) for an average of 9.6 points per game. She is the first player to join the exclusive club since the 2016-17 season when Taylor Peacocke, Kiana Gandy, Tia Briggs topped the 1,000-point mark for a career. In recent seasons Hannah Stipanovich and Anna Schwecke reached the 1,000-point mark for their collegiate career, but a portion of the points were scored prior to transferring to WWU.

 

Here is a look at where WWU is listed in the official NCAA statistics rankings (through games of 1/11/22):

 

 

Following home games this week, the Vikings are scheduled to go back on the road for key GNAC games in Alaska against Alaska Anchorage (Thursday, Jan. 20, 7 pm AKT/8 pm PT) and Alaska Fairbanks (Saturday, Jan. 22, 3 pm AKT/4 pm PT). The complete 2021-22 schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/21-22_WBB.

 

Junior Avery Dykstra and freshman Riley Dykstra have proven to be a tough sister combination this season for the Vikings. Avery has started all 10 games averaging 7.4 points while shooting 58.8% (30-for-51), and is averaging 1.2 steals per game. Riley is averaging 6.7 points on 27-for-55 shooting (.491), and is also averaging 4.9 rebounds per game in 10 games (all coming off the bench).

 

Here is a look at the results for the Vikings in the first 10 games of the 2021-22 season (10-0, 2-0 GNAC):

 

 

Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings heading into games this weekend. For complete updated conference statistics and standings, visit GNACSports.com.

 

 

Senior guards Emma Duff and Dani Iwami rank in the top 15 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:

 

 

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.

 

Head coach Carmen Dolfo is in her 31st season leading the program, owning an all-time record of 628-245 (.719) 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 628 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 1060-380 for a career winning percentage of .736.

 

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 628, 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 1,060 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.