By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's basketball team will open the 2024-25 season predicted to finish in a postseason spot in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
WWU received 52 points in the survey of the conference's 10 head coaches. The Vikings are coming off a 17-12 overall season and just missed qualifying for the GNAC Championships finishing 9-9 in the conference for 7th place.
Defending GNAC Tournament champion Central Washington tops the preseason poll gathering 90 points and four first-place votes. 2023-24 regular-season champion Montana State Billings is listed second with 85 points (3 1st-place votes) and is followed by No. 3 Northwest Nazarene (70 points). WWU is listed just behind Alaska Anchorage and Saint Martin's (tied for 4th) in the poll. The Vikings received one of the 10 first-place votes.
The Vikings return All-GNAC selection sophomore guard Tijan Saine – the GNAC Freshman of the Year in 2023-24 – and senior guard Will Wilson, who was honorable mention All-GNAC after averaging 15.8 points per game.
Additional returning letterwinners include Louis Grante-Halliday, Jordan Tate, Charlie Dietiker and Janko Drammeh. Redshirt freshman guard Grant Kepley is set to make his Viking debut with a recruiting class that featured 10 new players.
WWU is led by Tony Dominguez, who has a career record of 224-115 (.650) in 11 seasons (12 years) as the Vikings head coach. Dominguez has spent nearly 30 years with the Western basketball program serving as the longtime lead assistant coach prior to taking over as the head coach.
WWU's campaign kicks off at the West Region Crossover on November 8-9 in Caver Gym with the Vikings hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal Poly Humboldt and Simon Fraser in the two-day tournament. The preseason schedule opens this weekend with the annual Blue-White scrimmage Sunday at 1 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
2024-25 GNAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Here is a look at the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll leading into the 2024-25 season:
|
2024-25 GNAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
|
|
Rk
|
Team (1st Place Votes)
|
2023-24
|
GNAC (Place)
|
Pts.
|
|
1.
|
Central Washington (4)
|
22-10
|
11-7 (T3rd)
|
90
|
|
2.
|
Montana State Billings (3)
|
20-10
|
14-4 (1st)
|
85
|
|
3.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
17-10
|
13-5 (2nd)
|
70
|
|
4.
|
Alaska Anchorage (1)
|
22-11
|
10-8 (T5th)
|
69
|
|
|
Saint Martin's (1)
|
21-8
|
11-7 (T3rd)
|
69
|
|
6.
|
Western Washington (1)
|
17-12
|
9-9 (7th)
|
52
|
|
7.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
17-15
|
10-8 (T6th)
|
49
|
|
8.
|
Simon Fraser
|
6-23
|
4-14 (9th)
|
25
|
|
9.
|
Western Oregon
|
5-21
|
2-16 (10th)
|
21
|
|
10.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
8-18
|
6-12 (8th)
|
19
|
|
Votes awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis
|
VIKING JAM SET FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29
Viking Jam will be held Tuesday, October 29 inside Carver Gym with a special night planned celebrating the start of the upcoming season for the men's and women's team. Doors open at 6 pm for autographs and the program begins at 7 pm. Team introductions, a three-point contest, prize giveaways, t-shirt giveaways and more are planned for the tip-off to the 2024-25 season.
Fans wishing to purchase season tickets for the 2024-25 season purchase their season tickets online via WWUVikings.com/Tickets or call the WWU Box Office at (360) 650-BLUE (2583) catch all the action during the season in Carver Gym.
