BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Coming off a 2-1 season-opening performance, the Western Washington University men's basketball team is back in action this week at the West Region Crossover in Arcata, California

 

WWU will play CCAA member schools Cal State Dominguez Hills and tournament host Cal Poly Humboldt in Lumberjack Arena on Friday and Saturday. The tournament opens Friday with the Vikings playing Cal State Dominguez Hills with tip-off at 5:30 pm and concludes Saturday with Western playing Humboldt at 7:30 pm.

 

The Vikings went 2-1 at the season-opening DII Canadian Tip-Off Classic, earning wins over Daemen (83-72) and St. Edward's (97-93) to start 2-0, and dropped the tournament finale to Hawai'i Hilo (93-82). Juniors Kai Johnson and Nic Welp led the Vikings by earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

 

Johnson averaged 17.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while starting all three games to earn first-team honors on the all-tournament team. Welp totaled 11.3 points and a team-best 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 12-for-19 from the field to earn second-team honors. Junior transfer guard Will Wilson appeared in two of the three games and led the team averaging 19.5 points per game.

 

 

Following the West Region Crossover in Arcata, California, the Vikings will make its home debut on WECU Court in Carver Gym hosting Hawai'i Pacific on Tuesday, November 14 with tip-off at 7 pm. The complete 2023-24 WWU men's basketball schedule can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/23-24_MBB.

 

 

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2023-24 season:

 

 

With the next team victory, head coach Tony Dominguez will record his 300th career head coaching victory at the helm of the program. Dominguez has a head coach winning percentage of .657 (199-104) in 11 seasons (12 years) since taking over in 2012-13. He has been associated with WWU Basketball for nearly the last 30 seasons.

 

Here is a look at the series history between WWU and its opponents this week:

 

• Cal State Dominguez Hills: Defeated the Toros 94-69 in the second game of the season in 2022-23 in Burnaby, BC…WWU is 4-2 all-time vs. CSUDH…marks third consecutive season to play the Toros.
• Cal Poly Humboldt: Opened last season with a 104-95 victory over the Lumberjacks…WWU is 13-11 all-time vs. Cal Poly Humboldt, winning five of the last seven in the series…a former conference rival of the Vikings, WWU and Humboldt played every season from 1998-99 through 2004-06.

 

Head coach Tony Dominguez is in his 12th season at the helm of the program, and 29th overall at WWU. Dominguez has led the Vikings to a 199-104 record (.657) and was the 2016-17 GNAC Coach of the Year. He is assisted by AJ Albritton (3rd season), Bob Hofstetter (11th season) and Atiavo Jude (11th season).

 

Here is a look at the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll leading into the 2023-24 season with the Vikings listed 4th in a vote of the conference's 10 head coaches:

 

 

Fans wishing to purchase season tickets for the 2023-24 season can call the WWU Box Office at (360) 650-BLUE (2583) to reserve their seats for the upcoming season. The complete season schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/MBB.

 

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, WWU has recorded a 20-win season in eight of the last 12 seasons. WWU is a six-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion and has appeared in the NCAA II Elite 8 three times. The Vikings won the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship and advanced the following season to the NCAA II Final Four. Western has 20-win seasons in three of the last five years (and seven of 10) and won the 2020 GNAC Championships Tournament. WWU is amongst the top 15 winningest Division II programs with its 1,545 all-time victories. Head coach Tony Dominguez enters his 11th season and 12th year as the Vikings head coach (29th overall at WWU) and is listed in the top 20 amongst active NCAA Division II head coaches with a .657 winning percentage (199-104).