BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Coming off a pair of home victories last week the Western Washington University volleyball team heads back on the road traveling to play at Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

 

The Vikings have pulled even at 9-9 overall and are in 4th place in the GNAC standings with an 8-4 conference mark. WWU has six remaining regular-season matches over the final three weeks of the conference slate, with four of the six matches on the road.

 

WWU went 2-0 last week defeating Western Oregon in four sets (25-18,21-25,25-22,25-17) and sweeping Saint Martin's (25-15,25-15,25-20).

 

After playing a tough non-conference schedule featuring four of six matches against top 25 opponents, the Vikings head into the final three weeks of the regular season with the No. 10 RPI in the West Region according to InkBlotSports.com.

 

Junior outside hitter Devyn Oestreich is making a strong case as a repeat First Team All-GNAC selection leading the team averaging 3.45 points per set while averaging 2.66 kills, 0.53 aces and 3.44 digs per set (all team-leading marks). Sophomore libero Finnley Claeys is averaging 3.34 digs per set and sophomore outside hitter Delaney Speer is averaging 2.43 kills, 3.15 digs and 2.93 points per set. Sophomore middle Emily Vossenkuhl has been the Vikings top blocker averaging 1.05 blocks per set.

 

 

In 12 GNAC matches the Vikings are 8-4 in conference play and in 4th place in the standings. Among conference leaders in GNAC matches, WWU ranks 3rd in the conference with a .222 hitting percentage. The Vikings are also 4th-best in the league holding opponents to a .189 hitting percentage. WWU also ranks 3rd in kills (13.27/set), 3rd in service aces (1.91/set) and 7th in digs (15.39/set). 

 

Junior outside hitter Devyn Oestreich has recorded seven double-doubles this season, including three of the last five matches. Oestreich is averaging 2.66 kills and 3.44 digs per set and has been even better in GNAC play averaging 2.84 kills and 3.55 digs per set.

 

Sophomore outside hitter Delaney Speer recorded six service aces in the Vikings 3-0 victory over Saint Martin's on November 2, the most aces by a Viking since Tupu Lologo also had six at Saint Martin's on October 6, 2022. 

 

The Vikings are averaging 1.82 service aces per set this season (1.91 in GNAC play), which is on pace to be the highest season average for aces per set since 2010 (2.05 aces/set). 

 

Following the road trip to Billings and Seattle, the Vikings return to Carver Gym closing out the home portion of the 2024 schedule. WWU hosts rival Central Washington on Thursday (Nov. 14) and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday (Nov. 16) with both matches featuring a 7 pm first serve. The 2024 regular season closes out with a road trip to Alaska facing UAA (Nov. 21) and UAF (Nov. 23). 

 

WWU tied a program record with nine student-athletes earning a spot on the 2024 GNAC All-Academic Team, presented by Barnes & Noble College. The nine selections match the program record originally set in 2010. WWU's nine selections are second-most in the GNAC. Junior setter Adele Holland became a three-time GNAC academic all-star with Abby May, Janelle Grant and Anna VanderYacht earning their second awards.

 

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:

 

 

Here is a look at the series history between the Vikings and their opponent this week:

 

·         MSU Billings: WWU defeated MSUB in straight sets on October 12 in Bellingham (25-21,25-17,25-20)…the 3-0 victory improved the Vikings to 34-2 all-time vs. the Yellowjackets dating back to the first match in the series in 1991…WWU has won 16 of the last 17 vs. MSUB…in last trip to Billings in 2023 WWU dropped a five-set match.

·         Seattle Pacific: SPU defeated WWU in five sets (25-19,25-20,23-25,21-25,12-15) on October 10 in Carver Gym…Vikings had their eight-match winning streak snapped and 1-match home winning streak against the Falcons come to an end…Western had won the previous 18 matches in GNAC play dating back to the 2014 season…WWU leads the all-time series 62-29 and is 26-4 in the last 30 meetings.

 

All home matches will stream live on YouTube via Vikings TV. Additionally, every away GNAC match will feature a webcast on YouTube produced by the visiting team. To watch WWU home matches on your Smart TV, navigate to the YouTube application and search for WWU Athletics, or for away games search for the opposing school's YouTube channel (example: SPU Athletics). All WWU links to follow the Vikings online can be found online, but be sure to bookmark the following links for easy access:

 

·         Vikings TV (WWU home matches)

·         GNAC Live Streams

·         Direct Link to watch WWU matches (wwuvikings.com/VB_Watch)

·         Direct Link to follow WWU matches via live stats (wwuvikings.com/VB_Stats)

 

Western's roster does not feature a senior in 2024, with the active list of players including four redshirt freshman, five sophomores and six juniors.

 

Here is a look at the updated GNAC Volleyball standings and weekly schedule heading into Thursday's matches to open the eighth week of the conference slate. Updated conference standings, results, schedule and statistics can be found online at GNACSports.com.

 

 

Tickets for all home matches can be purchased at the Carver Gym Box Office beginning one hour prior to the first match of the day. Current WWU students gain free admission to all home events in 2024-25 by showing their active W card at the entrance. Free fan parking is available in the 19G and C lots on campus beginning one hour prior to each home match in Carver Gym.

 

Thanks to a partnership with WECU and The Foundation for WWU & Alumni, all current WWU students will receive free admission to all regular-season athletic events in Carver Gym and at Harrington Field again in 2024-25. Students just need to show their W card at the door and then head over to the WECU Student Section to cheer on the Viks.

 

The Vikings have built a strong home court advantage on WECU Court in Carver Gym with an all-time 320-91 record in the venue for a .779 winning percentage. Over the last eight seasons since moving back into the renovated gym, Western is 76-10 in home contests in Carver. During the 25-year career of head coach Diane Flick-Williams, the Vikings have gone 205-25 (.891).

 

Here is a match-by-match look at the 2024 season with current results and the schedule:

 

 

Western is led by 25th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (527-146/.783), who has guided the Vikings to the NCAA Division II Championships in 10 of the last 11 seasons and the West Regional title in three of the last eight seasons. Over the last 13 seasons the WWU program has built a 278-76 record for a .785 winning percentage. Flick-Williams' coaching staff includes first-year assistant Sammie Worley, first-year graduate assistant and former All-American outside hitter Gabby Gunterman, student assistant and former Viking middle Karli Tri and volunteer coaches Chris Leverenz and Brand Saindon.

 

The Vikings have appeared in the NCAA Division II Championships in 10 of the last 11 seasons and won four West Regional titles (2007, 2015, 2018, 2021). WWU is 26-16 all-time in 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament. WWU has recorded at least one win in 10 of 16 NCAA tournament appearances and are 4-0 all-time in national quarterfinal contests. WWU played for the national title in 2018 in Pittsburgh (lost 3-2 to Tampa) and advanced to the national semifinal (Final Four) in 2021 in Tampa, Florida. The program has hosted the NCAA II West Regional in Carver Gym twice, in 2018 and 2022.

 

Fans can follow WWU Volleyball online at WWUVikings.com/VB, and via social media on Instagram (@WWUVB)and Facebook (@WWUVolleyball). All home matches feature a live webcast, as well as most road matches, with links on how to follow the games available at WWUVikings.com/Live.

 

The WWU Volleyball program is in its 54th season as a varsity intercollegiate sport in 2024, rising to an elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in 10 of the last 11 seasons and 16 of the last 22 dating back to the 2001 season. The program has recorded 1,033 all-time wins (1033-601-7). The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Vikings have four of the last seven GNAC titles with a 19-1 record in 2017, perfect 20-0 mark in 2018, an 18-2 league record in 2019 and clinched the four-peat with a 17-1 record in 2021. Led by 25th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (527-146) the Vikings have posted a 278-76 record over the last 13 seasons and played in the NCAA II West Region championship match five out of the last eight seasons, winning titles in 2015, 2018 and 2021 (also 2007). WWU played for the NCAA II national championship in 2007 and 2018, both national runner-up finishes, and have advanced to the NCAA Final Four in three of the past eight seasons (2015, 2018, 2021).