BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team heads back on the road this week for crucial Great Northwest Athletic Conference games.

 

WWU carries a three-game winning streak into conference contests at Central Washington on Thursday in Ellensburg (5:15 pm) and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday in Nampa, Idaho (5:15 pm MT). The Vikings are 13-7 overall and 8-3 in GNAC play, tied for 3rd in the standings with CWU (15-5, 8-3 GNAC) and just ahead of NNU (13-7, 7-4 GNAC).

 

The Vikings are coming off a home sweep last week in Carver Gym, defeating Saint Martin's 79-56 and Western Oregon 82-61 for a pair of 20-point victories. WWU's winning streak stretches back to a 78-69 victory at Simon Fraser on January 25.

 

WWU is led by four players averaging double-digits in scoring, with senior guard Olivia Wikstrom averaging 14.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Junior forward Alyson Deaver has scored in double digits in 18 of 20 games to average 14.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Demi Dykstra (12.1) and junior guard Mason Oberg (10.6) are also averaging double figures in scoring.

 

Dykstra is coming off a GNAC Player of the Week performance last week averaging 21.0 points per game in the two contests, combining to shoot 63.6-percent from the field (14-for-22), which included 4-for-7 (.571) from three point range. In addition she was perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line and contributed seven assists, six rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots.

 

The Vikings are back in Carver Gym to open the second half of the GNAC schedule.

 

The Vikings have seven remaining regular-season contests in GNAC play, playing four on the road and three at home. WWU returns home next week to host the Alaska schools on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

 

 

The Vikings (13-7, 8-3 GNAC) return to the road this week traveling to play at Central Washington on Thursday (5:15 pm) and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday (5:15 pm MT). The complete season schedule, with links on how to watch the games, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/WBB.

 

WWU carries a seven-game winning streak inside Nicholson Pavilion into Thursday's game in Ellensburg. The Vikings are already 2-0 on the CWU campus this season defeating Biola and Westminster in the CWU Thanksgiving Classic in November, went 2-0 in the GNAC Championships at the venue last season, and have won the last four regular-season road games against CWU, with three in Nicholson and one in Moses Lake.

 

The Vikings have always been a program that prided itself on defense and ranks 2nd in the GNAC this season holding opponents to a 37.2 field goal percentage. WWU has held opposing teams to a shooting percentage below 50-percent in 116 consecutive games, dating back to the GNAC Championship final in 2020 when UAA shot 58.9-percent. Over the last five seasons, the Vikings have gone 92-24 (.793) and held opponents to a combined .356 shooting percentage (2405-for-6753). Here is a chart looking at opponent shooting totals over the last five seasons:

 

 

Senior guard Olivia Wikstrom is having an outstanding season ranking in the top 10 in the GNAC in scoring and rebounding averaging 14.7 points per game (7th) and 7.5 rebounds per game (4th). Wikstrom has scored in double-digits in 18 of 20 games with a season and career high 24 points at Alaska Anchorage (Jan. 18). She is also amongst the conference leaders with six double-doubles. Wikstrom is in her fifth collegiate season (due to the pandemic) and has played in 132 career games. She is nearing the 1,000-point milestone currently at 947 points.

 

Junior forward Alyson Deaver has been a consistent and key contributor in her first season at WWU averaging 14.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, both ranked second on the team. Deaver has started all 20 games, scoring in double digits 18 times, and had a recent 23-point, 12-rebound double-double in the win at Simon Fraser, her second double-double performance of the season.

 

Sophomore guard Demi Dykstra is the reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for games played January 27-February 2. Dykstra averaged 21.0 points per game in the two contests, combining to shoot 63.6-percent from the field (14-for-22), which included 4-for-7 (.571) from three point range. In addition she was perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line and also contributed seven assists, six rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots. In the victory over Saint Martin's she poured in a career-high 25 points on 8-for-11 shooting and added a team-high 17 points vs. Western Oregon. Dykstra is the third Viking to earn the GNAC Player of the Week award this season, joining Alyson Deaver (Nov. 25-Dec. 1) and Olivia Wikstrom (Dec. 30-Jan. 5).

 

Sophomore guard Libby Stump made her WWU debut on the Alaska road trip and had a 20-point performance on 9-for-15 shooting in the win over Simon Fraser. In four games she is averaging 10.0 points per game. Stump is a transfer from the University of Montana, where she played in 35 games for the Griz in 2022-23 (30 G) and 2023-24 (5 G). She tore her ACL early in the 2023-24 season and transferred back home to Whatcom County where she starred at Lynden Christian.

 

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2024-25 season:

 

 

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

 

• Central Washington: WWU overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat CWU 67-65 on January 11 in Bellingham to secure Carmen Dolfo's 700th career victory…the Vikings have won the last six games vs. the Wildcats…WWU leads the all-time series against Central 104-17 with a 15-7 advantage in the last 22 meetings…has won seven consecutive games played in Ellensburg, including non-CWU teams.
• Northwest Nazarene: WWU had its four-game winning streak vs. NNU snapped on Jan. 9 with a 63-51 loss to the Nighthawks in Carver Gym…Vikings lead the all-time series 36-18 with a 14-9 record in the Johnson Center.

 

WWU head coach Carmen Dolfo recorded her 700th career victory in her 968th career game in 34 seasons as the head coach of the Vikings. Her career record now stands at 704-269 for a .724 winning percentage. Here are a few fun facts about Dolfo's 700 career wins:

 

• Among all-time NCAA Division II women's basketball head coaches, only 13 have reached the 700-win mark.
• Among active NCAA II women's basketball head coaches, only 5 have reached the 700-win mark.
• Only 45 head coaches at all levels of NCAA women's basketball have reached 700 career wins.
• Dolfo became the 18th active women's basketball head coach with 700 career wins.

 

In the Vikings 67-65 triumph over Central Washington on January 11, they overcame a 13-point 4th quarter deficit to record Carmen Dolfo's 700th career win. WWU was down 58-45 with just over eight minutes remaining in the game prior to the Vikings going on a 19-4 run to take the lead and ultimately gain the two-point victory over the Wildcats. 

 

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. 

 

Tickets are available for pre-purchase online at wwuvikings.com/Tickets or starting one hour prior to tip-off at the Carver Gym Box Office.

 

WWU's remaining seven games are all Great Northwest Athletic Conference games. All 10 GNAC teams play an 18-game league schedule, with the top six teams in the standings at the end of the regular season advancing to the GNAC Championships that will be held March 6-8 at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey. WWU is the two-time defending postseason GNAC Tournament champions.

 

Through the first 20 games of the season, the Vikings have had a tough schedule facing four teams that are currently ranked in the top 25 in the nation (Cal St. Dom. Hills - #3, Azusa Pacific - #14, MSUB - #18, UAA - #25).

 

WWU has played just seven of 20 games at home in Carver Gym, with 13 games on the road (5-2 away, 3-3 neutral).

 

The Vikings have battled the injury bug through the early part of the season with sophomore guard Libby Stump, junior forward Ellie Croco, freshman forward Jaylyn Arosemena and senior forward Aspen Garrison missing substantial time. 

 

Both road games this week features a live (and free) webcast on YouTube with a direct link available at WWUVikings.com/Live. All home games will stream live on YouTube via Vikings TV. Additionally, every away GNAC game will feature a webcast on YouTube produced by the visiting team. To watch WWU home games 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: CWU 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 games)
• GNAC Live Streams
• Direct Link to watch WWU games (wwuvikings.com/WBB_Watch)
• Direct Link to follow WWU games via Live Stats (wwuvikings.com/WBB_Stats)

 

Junior guard Mason Oberg has made 134 career three-pointers (in 67 games) to rank No. 10 in program history. For her career Oberg is 134-for-349 to record a .384 three-point field goal percentage, currently No. 9 in program history. Here is a look at the top three-point shooters in program history by three-pointers made and accuracy from beyond the arc:

 

 

In the 63-30 road victory at Western Oregon, the Vikings defense limited WOU to under 20-percent shooting in the game (.197/12-for-61) and nearly held the Wolves without a field goal in the first quarter. The 30 points allowed are fewest allowed by a Viking team since holding Lincoln to 26 points on December 2, 2021 and the fewest in a GNAC breaking the old mark of 32 points allowed in a 77-32 win over Alaska Fairbanks on February 26, 2009. WWU just missed the GNAC record for fewest points allowed in a conference game, 27 set by Saint Martin's in 2003 vs. Western Oregon. WWU ranks 4th in the GNAC this season holding opponents to 60.1 points per game.

 

In the January 16 win at Alaska Fairbanks, Western held the Nanooks to 25.4-percent shooting for the game (15-for-59) and limited an opponent to fewer than 40 points for the second time this season. The 18-0 scoreline in the third quarter marked the first time WWU has shut out an opponent in a quarter since the four-quarter format was adopted in 2015-16.

 

The Vikings made an in-season roster addition with junior guard Anna VanderYacht joining the program after the completion of the volleyball season. The Lynden native has appeared in 15 games averaging 10.2 minutes per game to etch her name as a two-sport student-athlete. VanderYacht appeared in all 24 matches for the WWU volleyball team this fall while recording 11 service aces.

 

Here is a look at the 2024-25 GNAC Women's Basketball standings and overall records heading into this week's action. Updated standings and conference statistics can be viewed online at GNACSports.com. The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the GNAC Championships held March 6-8 in Lacey:

 

 

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2024-25 season heading into this week's schedule:

 

Over the last six seasons (since 2019-20), the Vikings have combined to go 114-33 for a .776 winning percentage. WWU won back-to-back GNAC regular-season championships in 2022 and 2023 and have won the last two GNAC Tournament titles. The Vikings played in the 2022 NCAA Division II National Championship Game in Birmingham, Alabama, earning runner-up honors.

 

The Vikings made their 20th NCAA Championships appearance in 25 possible seasons (since 1998-99) and fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA West Regional Tournament. WWU has advanced to the postseason (conference, regional, NCAA) in 49 of 52 possible seasons of program history and has won three regional championships to advance to the Elite Eight in 2000 (Pine Bluff, Arkansas), 2013 (San Antonio, TX) and 2022 (Birmingham, AL). The Vikings own an all-time 21-19 record in NCAA tournament play, recording at least one win in 12 of 19 prior regional appearances (with a game played).

 

Head coach Carmen Dolfo is in her 34th season leading the program, owning an all-time record of 704-269 (.724) to rank amongst the active and career leaders at the NCAA Division II level for career wins and winning percentage. Entering the 2024-25 season, Dolfo as 10th all-time in NCAA II in wins. Dolfo has led the Vikings to 20 trips to the NCAA Championships and a trio of Elite 8 appearances. She became the winningest coach in WWU Athletics history when she collected victory No. 519 on Dec. 3, 2015 vs. Alaska to pass former men's basketball coach Brad Jackson (518-279). Dolfo tallied her 600th career victory on January 11, 2020 vs. Seattle Pacific, in her 840th career game, and tallied No. 700 on January 11 vs. CWU. WWU has recorded 23 seasons with 20-or-more wins under Dolfo. She was named the 2021-22 GNAC Coach of the Year, her fifth GNAC honor and 12th Coach of the Year accolade overall. Dolfo was also a volleyball and basketball student-athlete at WWU in the 1980s.

 

The 2024-25 coaching staff includes 13th-year assistant head coach Stacey Turrell, assistant coach Katrina Gimmaka, volunteer assistant Mike Li, and student assistants George Irwin, Ben Allen and Grant Brewer.

 

Two WWU women's basketball coaches have more than 400 career victories, with current head coach Carmen Dolfoamassing 704 wins and Hall of Fame coach Lynda Goodrich totaling 411 wins leading the Vikings for 19 seasons from 1971-1990. The program owns an all-time record of 1136-404 for a career winning percentage of .738.

 

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in 11 of the last 14 full seasons, and 38 times in the 53-year history of the program. WWU has 24 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 704, winning percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 20 of 25 possible seasons at the Division II level with three trips to the Elite Eight (last in 2022) and played in the 2022 national championship game. The program has 1,136 all-time wins in the 53-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.