By: Jeff Evans, Director of Athletic Communications
PORTLAND, Ore. – For the second year in a row and the 14th time in conference history, Western Washington University is the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's All-Sports Champion.
Using a base of six conference championships during the course of the 2022-23 season, the Vikings claimed the overall championship with a score of 8.77. That was a point and a half ahead of second-place Western Oregon, which finished with an overall score of 7.25. Simon Fraser was third with a score of 7.25.
The Vikings also swept the men's and women's all-sports championships for the second year in a row and for the 10th time in conference history. The men finished with a score of 8.01 to finish well ahead of second-place Western Oregon (7.22) and third-place Northwest Nazarene (6.79). The women compiled a score of 8.23, a point and a half ahead of second-place Simon Fraser (6.53) and over two points ahead of third-place Western Oregon (6.16).
"It was another fantastic year for our student-athletes, which resulted in another GNAC All-Sports Trophy," said WWU interim Director of Athletics Steve Brummel. "Our coaches do an excellent job preparing our teams to be the best they can be in every facet of the student-athlete experience. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes and coaches on this fantastic award."
Western Washington's ascent to the top of the all-sports podium was buoyed by six conference championships, twice that of any other institution. The Vikings won men's championships in cross country and outdoor track and field and claimed women's titles in basketball, cross country, soccer and outdoor track and field. Both the women's soccer and basketball programs also won postseason GNAC Championship titles.
In addition to the great success at the conference level, 10 of WWU's 15 intercollegiate varsity programs had representation at the NCAA Division II Championships level, including the women's soccer team winning the national title, men's cross country placing 14th at nationals, women's rowing placing fourth at nationals, volleyball playing in its 10th consecutive NCAA West Regional serving as the tournament host and men's golf advancing to nationals after competing in its 24th consecutive regional championship.
Western Oregon was closest to WWU with three championships in baseball and men's and women's indoor track and field. Northwest Nazarene (men's soccer, softball) and Simon Fraser (men's and women's golf) won two championships apiece. Alaska Anchorage (volleyball), Saint Martin's (men's basketball) and affiliate member Central Oklahoma (women's rowing) each won one conference championship.
The GNAC All-Sports Championship is determined using a unique points system, which gives each school an average score based on its finish in each conference sport and the number of GNAC sports sponsored by each institution. The averages are based on regular-season finishes in football, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball and conference meet finishes in men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's golf and women's rowing.
From 2002 to 2016, the All-Sports Championship was based on a raw points system, with teams receiving points in two-point increments based on their finish that season. Since 2017, scoring has been based on the Dormeyer System, which determines an average score for each institution based on its finish in each conference sport and the number of GNAC sports sponsored by each institution. The system treats each conference title equally, with 10 points awarded to first place with values dropping incrementally based on the number of schools sponsoring that sport.
THE GNAC ALL-SPORTS TROPHY
This marks the 20th year the GNAC All-Sports Trophy has been awarded since conference was formed in 2001-02. WWU has placed in the top two in the conference in all 20 seasons, including winning top honors 14 times. There was no award presented in 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to the global pandemic.
|
Year
|
WWU Finish
|
|
2001-02
|
1st
|
|
2002-03
|
1st
|
|
2003-04
|
1st
|
|
2004-05
|
1st
|
|
2005-06
|
2nd
|
|
2006-07
|
2nd
|
|
2007-08
|
2nd
|
|
2008-09
|
1st
|
|
2009-10
|
1st
|
|
2010-11
|
1st
|
|
2011-12
|
1st
|
|
2012-13
|
1st
|
|
2013-14
|
1st
|
|
2014-15
|
1st
|
|
2015-16
|
1st
|
|
2016-17
|
2nd
|
|
2017-18
|
2nd
|
|
2018-19
|
2nd
|
|
2019-20
|
---
|
|
2020-21
|
---
|
|
2021-22
|
1st
|
|
2022-23
|
1st
|
2022-23 GNAC ALL-SPORTS STANDINGS
Here is a look at the scoring breakdown and conference championships for each school in 2022-23:
|
OVERALL
|
MEN
|
WOMEN
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
8.77
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
8.01
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
8.23
|
|
2.
|
Western Oregon
|
7.27
|
2.
|
Western Oregon
|
7.22
|
2.
|
Simon Fraser
|
6.53
|
|
3.
|
Simon Fraser
|
7.25
|
3.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
6.79
|
3.
|
Western Oregon
|
6.16
|
|
4.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
6.92
|
4.
|
Central Washington
|
6.47
|
4.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
5.80
|
|
5.
|
Central Washington
|
5.60
|
5.
|
Simon Fraser
|
6.43
|
5.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
5.50
|
|
6.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
5.39
|
6.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
5.00
|
6.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
5.09
|
|
7.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
5.24
|
7.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
4.45
|
7.
|
Saint Martin's
|
4.92
|
|
8.
|
Saint Martin's
|
4.87
|
8.
|
Montana State Billings
|
4.26
|
8.
|
Central Washington
|
4.69
|
|
9.
|
Montana State Billings
|
3.96
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3.87
|
9.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
3.67
|
|
10.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
3.00
|
10.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
2.00
|
10.
|
Montana State Billings
|
3.08
|
2022-23 GNAC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS BY SCHOOL
- Alaska Anchorage (1): Volleyball
- Central Oklahoma (1): Women's Rowing
- Northwest Nazarene (2): Men's Soccer, Softball
- Saint Martin's (1): Men's Basketball
- Simon Fraser (2): Men's Golf, Women's Golf
- Western Oregon (3): Baseball, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Indoor Track & Field
- Western Washington (6): Women's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Soccer, Men's Outdoor Track & Field, Women's Outdoor Track & Field
