BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Carver Gym trophy cases are lined with GNAC championship trophies. Western Washington hopes it can earn another addition to the case on its home floor.

 

The Vikings secured back-to-back regular season championships with their win over Simon Fraser on Thursday and are the No. 1 seed for the GNAC Women's Basketball Championships, presented by Under Armour, which begins Thursday on WECU Court in Carver Gym in Bellingham.

 

WWU earned a first-round bye and will face either No. 4 Alaska Anchorage or No. 5 Seattle Pacific in Friday's 7:30 pm semifinal game. The six-team tournament opens play with a pair of quarterfinal games at 5:15 pm and 7:30 pm. The Vikings have now advanced to the postseason (conference, regional, NCAA) in 48 of 51 possible seasons.

 

Ranked No. 13 in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll and No. 12 in the latest D2SIDA Media Poll, the defending national runner-up earned the top spot and a first-round bye with a 16-2 conference record to win consecutive regular-season GNAC titles. With a 22-3 overall record, the Vikings clinched the regular-season trophy in the season finale on Thursday in an 87-63 win over Simon Fraser. Western Washington has gone 10-1 in Carver Gym this season and enters the tournament having won seven of its last eight games.

 

Montana State Billings is the No. 2 seed and earns the other first-round bye. With a 15-4 conference record and 23-6 overall record, the Yellowjackets have won 12 of their last 14 games and were responsible for one of WWU's two home losses, a 66-64 overtime decision on February 16. Montana State Billings entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 21 in the D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 22 in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll.

 

The Yellowjackets play in the semifinals on Friday against the winner of the first quarterfinal on Thursday between No. 3 seed Central Washington and No. 6 seed Simon Fraser. The Wildcats, who won the GNAC Championships in 2022, finished third in the regular-season standings at 12-6 (20-7 overall). 

 

Simon Fraser secured the No. 6 seed and makes also makes its 12th consecutive GNAC Championships appearance. The Red Leafs enter the tournament with an 8-10 conference mark, 10-12 overall.

 

Western Washington plays its semifinal game on Friday against the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 4 seed Alaska Anchorage and No. 5 seed Seattle Pacific. The Seawolves won their last four games, including a 65-58 win at Montana State Billings on Saturday, to earn their 12th consecutive GNAC Championships appearance. Alaska Anchorage finished fourth in the regular-season standings at 10-8 (18-9 overall).

 

Seattle Pacific won five of its first six conference games to set the base for its return to the GNAC Championships. The Falcons took the No. 5 seed with a 9-9 conference record (14-12 overall) and snapped a two-game losing streak with Saturday's 60-51 win over Alaska in Seattle.

 

Thursday's first quarterfinal game between No. 3 seed Central Washington and No. 6 Simon Fraser begins at 5:15 p.m. The second game between No. 4 Alaska Anchorage and No. 5 Seattle Pacific will tip off at 7:30 pm. Friday's semifinal games will take place at 5:15 and 7:30 pm, with the championship game being played on Saturday at 7:30 pm.

 

The winner of the GNAC Championships will receive the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championships with regional play held March 10-13 at a to-be-determined campus site. The NCAA Selection Show will air on NCAA.com on the evening of Sunday, March 5.

 

The GNAC Women's Basketball Championships are being held in conjunction with the GNAC Men's Basketball Championships. The men's side of the bracket commences on Thursday with quarterfinal matches at noon and 2:15 pm. Tickets are on sale now by logging on to GNACtickets.com.

 

All games of the GNAC Basketball Championships will be live-streamed through the conference's YouTube channel, GNAC.tv.

 

Here is a look at the schedule for the 2023 GNAC Women's Basketball Championships that will be held over three days, March 2-4, on WECU Court in Carver Gym in Bellingham. Women's games will be played at 5:15 and 7:30 pm Thursday (March 2) and Friday (March 3), with the championship game at 7:30 pm on Saturday (March 4). Tickets can be purchased at GNACTickets.com with more info available at GNACSports.com.

 

Quarterfinals (March 2)

No. 3 Central Washington vs. No. 6 Simon Fraser, 5:15 pm

No. 4 Alaska Anchorage vs. No. 5 Seattle Pacific, 7:30 pm

 

Semifinals (March 3)

Central Washington/Simon Fraser winner vs. No. 2 Montana State Billings, 5:15 pm

Alaska Anchorage/Seattle Pacific winner vs. No. 1 Western Washington, 7:30 pm

 

Championship (March 4)

Championship Game, 7:30 pm

 

The Vikings are officially the No. 1 seed for the GNAC Championships, earning a first-round bye and will open the postseason Friday at 7:30 pm on WECU Court against either No. 4 Alaska Anchorage or No. 5 Seattle Pacific. WWU has qualified for the GNAC postseason tournament in 11 of the 12 seasons of the event and are 15-8 all-time in the conference tournament. Western has played in eight championship games, including last season, winning titles in back-to-back seasons 2012-13 and 2013-14. This marks the second time WWU and Carver Gym has served as the tournament host for the GNAC Championships, also welcoming 12 teams to campus in 2018-19.

 

Here are some handy links on how to follow the 2023 GNAC Basketball Championships:

 

• GNAC.tv: All games will feature a live webcast on YouTube via GNAC.tv. You can search on YouTube for "GNAC Sports" to watch all games in HD on your TV.
• Live Stats: Statistical updates will be provided for each game with direct links to WWU games available at wwuvikings.com/Live.
• Tournament Info: All the information you need to know on the GNAC Championships, including ticket information and fan information can be found online at GNACSports.com.
• Tickets: Fans can purchase tickets online with details instructions at GNACTickets.com.
• Parking: Fans can park in the 12 A/G lot off South Campus Drive with free shuttle service to Carver Gym.

With the win over SFU, WWU clinched the GNAC regular-season title with a 16-2 conference record. The Vikings have won back-to-back regular-season titles for the first time since the conference was formed in 2001-02 and the sixth time overall. Western also has won a pair of conference tournament titles in 2013 and 2014. WWU has now won GNAC regular-season titles in 2001-02, 2005-06, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2021-22 and now 2022-23.

 

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:

 

 

Here is a look at the final GNAC standings from the regular season, setting the stage for the GNAC Championships that will be played March 2-4 in Bellingham. The winner of the conference tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championships. 

 

 

The Vikings are 22-3 overall, reaching the 20-win mark for the 37th time in the 52-year history of the program, and 23rd time in 32 seasons under head coach Carmen Dolfo.

 

Dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season, the Vikings have combined to go 75-18 (.806) with a 40-12 record in GNAC play (.769). WWU went 25-6 during the Elite 8 2021-22 season and off to a 22-3 start to the 2022-23 season.

 

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in 10 of the last 14 full seasons, and 27 times in the 52-year history of the program. WWU has 23 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 665, winning percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 18 of 23 possible seasons at the Division II level with three trips to the Elite Eight (including 2022) and played in the 2022 national championship game. The program has 1,097 all-time wins in the 52-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.