BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball team opens the 2022 season this week hosting the six-team, 12-match WWU Invitational Thursday through Saturday on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The No. 3 nationally-ranked Vikings welcome No. 20 Ferris State, Regis, Sonoma State, Simon Fraser and Cal State LA in the three-day tournament that begins Thursday with the Vikings playing FSU at noon and Sonoma State at 7:30 pm.
A complete listing of tournament matches is available online at
wwuvikings.com/VBInvite. Tickets for the evening matches (5 and 7:30 pm) each day will be sold at the Carver Gym Box Office (free admission for two early matches each day). Free parking will be available to all fans in the 17G lot on the WWU campus near Carver Gym.
The WWU Invitational opens an eight-match non-conference slate for the Vikings, with four home matches and four road contests at the Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver (Sept. 2-3). The 18-match Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule begins September 8 with a home contest against Seattle Pacific University.
The Vikings are coming off a 2021 season that resulted in playing in the national semifinals and return nearly their entire roster and feature nine seniors. WWU was 25-5 overall last season and won its fourth consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference title with a 17-1 league record. The Vikings were picked to finish first in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll and have equaled their highest preseason national ranking in program history.
Western is led by 23rd-year head coach
Diane Flick-Williams (485-117/.806), who has guided the Vikings to nine consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Championships and the West Regional title in three of the last six seasons. WWU has now appeared in 123 consecutive national polls dating back to the 2012 season. Over the 10-season span since 2012, WWU has combined to go 236-47 (.834) and advanced to the NCAA postseason each season.
The 2022 roster features 24 players, with nine seniors and six true freshmen that are scheduled to utilize a redshirt season. Seniors
Gabby Gunterman,
Calley Heilborn,
Malia Aleaga,
Olivia Fairchild and
Chloe Roetcisoender were all selected to the Preseason All-GNAC team, with Gunterman leading the way as the preseason Player of the Year in the conference. Gunterman (First Team), Heilborn (Honorable Mention) and Fairchild (Honorable Mention) all earned AVCA All-America honors in 2021.
WWU INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the 12-match schedule for the WWU Invitational that features four matches each day Thursday-Friday-Saturday in Carver Gym:
| Thursday, August 25 |
| 12:00 PM |
Western Washington vs. Ferris State |
| 2:30 PM |
Simon Fraser vs. Sonoma State |
| 5:00 PM |
Cal State LA vs. Ferris State |
| 7:30 PM |
Western Washington vs. Sonoma State |
| Friday, August 26 |
| 9:30 AM |
Cal State LA vs. Regis |
| 12:00 PM |
Sonoma State vs. Ferris State |
| 5:00 PM |
Simon Fraser vs. Ferris State |
| 7:30 PM |
Western Washington vs. Regis |
| Saturday, August 27 |
| 9:30 AM |
Simon Fraser vs. Cal State LA |
| 12:00 PM |
Sonoma State vs. Regis |
| 5:00 PM |
Simon Fraser vs. Regis |
| 7:30 PM |
Western Washington vs. Cal State LA |
