BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team has proven all season they are among the nation's elite.
And today the Vikings have been rewarded earning the top spot in the first edition of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Rankings in the West Region.
WWU is 16-2 overall, with a 15-2 record vs. in-region opponents and a robust 12-1 record in road games. Featuring one of the top defenses in the country, the Vikings are ranked 12th in the nation holding opponents to 54.8 points per game and are No. 7 limiting teams to a .334 field goal percentage. Western's offense is also potent with seven players averaging over 7.0 points per game and ranks 9th in NCAA II with a team field goal percentage of .460.
The Vikings are currently on top of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with an 8-2 record and also entered the week with the top score in the new GNAC Points Rating System (4.11), which will determine the regular-season champion and seeding for the conference championships.
The first edition of the regional rankings in the West features four teams in the top 10, with Central Washington (No. 2), Alaska Anchorage (No. 6) and Northwest Nazarene (No. 7) also in the mix for a regional bid. Cal State East Bay (No. 3), Cal State San Marcos (No. 4), Azusa Pacific (No. 5), Concordia (No. 8), Hawaii Hilo (No. 9) and Academy of Art (No. 10) round out the first edition of the West Region rankings. WWU is a combined 5-2 against teams in the current top 10 in the West this season.
The top eight teams in the regional rankings will help determine the eight-team West Regional field that will be played March 11-14 at the site of the highest seed. The GNAC, CCAA and PacWest tournament champions receive an automatic bid to the NCAA II Championships.
WWU's Thursday game against Alaska Fairbanks has been canceled due to health and safety protocols in the UAF program. The Vikings are back in action Saturday hosting conference rival Alaska Anchorage with tip-off at 7 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym. The Vikings are 16-2 overall and lead the GNAC with an 8-2 conference record. WWU also hosts Northwest Nazarene on Monday (3 pm) and Saint Martin's for Senior Night on Tuesday (7 pm). The regular-season finale is scheduled for Saturday, February 26 at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC. The GNAC Championships will be held March 2-5 in Seattle and Lacey.
Schedule updates, online ticket sales and links on how to follow the Vikings can be viewed online at
wwuvikings.com/WBB.
Here is a look at the current West Region rankings:
| Rk |
School |
DII Record |
In-Region Record |
| 1. |
Western Washington |
15-2 |
15-2 |
| 2. |
Central Washington |
15-6 |
14-6 |
| 3. |
Cal State East Bay |
18-2 |
18-2 |
| 4. |
Cal State San Marcos |
17-2 |
17-2 |
| 5. |
Azusa Pacific |
18-2 |
18-2 |
| 6. |
Alaska Anchorage |
15-4 |
10-4 |
| 7. |
Northwest Nazarene |
11-7 |
10-7 |
| 8. |
Concordia |
15-7 |
15-7 |
| 9. |
Hawaii Hilo |
8-7 |
8-7 |
| 10. |
Academy of Art |
12-8 |
12-8 |
