By: Meladie Young, Athletic Communications Intern
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team opens the 2026 season ranked No. 3 in the NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The Vikings are coming off a GNAC Championship season in 2025, making consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II Softball World Series in Chattanooga, Tennessee. WWU went 47-13 overall and posted a 21-3 record in conference play. The Vikings historic season included winning the GNAC regular season and conference tournament title.
The Vikings received 369 points in a vote of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, with two representing each of the NCAA's eight regions. WWU finished the 2025 season No. 3 in the final NFCA Coaches Poll and ranked No. 2 following the 2024 national runner-up season. The Vikings have been ranked in the top 25 in 30 consecutive polls dating back to the second week of the 2024 season.
High expectations follow the Vikings into the 2026 season with nine returning letterwinners on the 19-player roster. Western featured one of the top all-around statistical teams in the nation ranking 10th in fielding percentage (.974), 13th in ERA (2.03) and 23rd in batting average (.327).
Key returning players include junior All-American third baseman Maleah Andrews, who ranked among the top 10 in the nation batting .473 (87-for-184) with 23 doubles, 64 runs scored, .578 on-base percentage and 46 walks. Andrews was voted the GNAC co-Player of the Year, West Region Player of the Year and consensus First Team All-American while reaching base safely in 58 of 60 games.
Senior shortstop Hailey Rath enters her senior season having started all 173 possible games during her career, batting .340 (68-for-200) last season and .347 (200-for-576) with a school-record 49 doubles, 22 home runs (tied for 3rd in WWU history) and 138 RBI (3rd in WWU history). Rath is a three-time First Team All-GNAC selection.
WWU also returns junior center fielder Laila Carpenter (.333/52-for-156 in 55 G in 2025), senior first baseman Olivia Matlock (.281/52-for-185, 7 HR) from last year's team that won its second consecutive West Region title. Returning utility player Emily McCutcheon, outfielder Rachel Traxler and infielder Haylee Kim are will be key contributors for the Vikings.
Western will turn to freshman pitchers Alanna Wirtala (Emerald Ridge High School) and Mac Ferguson (Colorado State Univ.) for the bulk of the innings in 2026.
Head coach Sheryl Gilmore enters her eighth season leading the program having led the Vikings to 214 wins during her tenure for a .648 winning percentage.
The 2026 season officially opens with five games at the CUI Kickoff Classic January 30-February 1 at Great Park in Irvine, California. The complete schedule with links on how to follow the team can be viewed at WWUVikings.com/Team34.
NFCA PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Here is a complete listing of the 2026 NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll:
|
Rk
|
School
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
UT Tyler
|
400
|
|
2.
|
Tampa
|
383
|
|
3.
|
Western Washington
|
369
|
|
4.
|
Pace
|
350
|
|
5.
|
Saginaw Valley State
|
338
|
|
6.
|
North Georgia
|
318
|
|
7.
|
Shippensburg
|
302
|
|
8.
|
West Texas A&M
|
273
|
|
9.
|
Augustana
|
265
|
|
10.
|
Francis Marion
|
264
|
|
11.
|
Central Oklahoma
|
243
|
|
12.
|
Auburn Montgomery
|
239
|
|
13.
|
Angelo State
|
205
|
|
14.
|
Cal State San Marcos
|
184
|
|
15.
|
East Stroudsburg
|
181
|
|
16.
|
Kutztown
|
154
|
|
17.
|
Cal State East Bay
|
133
|
|
18.
|
Rogers State
|
124
|
|
19.
|
Lenoir-Rhyne
|
103
|
|
20.
|
Saint Leo
|
99
|
|
21.
|
Wilmington
|
82
|
|
22.
|
UIndy
|
64
|
|
23.
|
Barry
|
55
|
|
24.
|
Missouri Southern
|
41
|
|
25.
|
Oklahoma Christian
|
22
|
WESTERN MAKES GNAC HISTORY AGAIN IN 2025
The Vikings finished first in the GNAC regular-season standings with a league record of 21-3, before going 3-0 to capture the program's fourth GNAC Championships tournament trophy. From there, the Vikings went 3-0 at the West Regional and defeated Cal State San Marcos 2-1 in a three-game super regional series to advance to the NCAA Championship Finals in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The WWU softball program enters its 34th season in 2026 while coming off a historic 47-13 season in 2025. The Vikings claimed their fourth GNAC title by winning the 2025 postseason tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships for the seventh time in program history. Playing in the NCAA postseason for the seventh time, WWU won its second consecutive West Regional title defeating Cal State East Bay in the sub-regional and Cal State San Marcos in the Super Regional. The historic season ended playing in the D2 World Series in Chattanooga, Tennessee, reaching the semifinal round (Final Four). WWU has posted a winning record 22 times during the 33-year history of the program, which won the 1998 NAIA National Championship in only its sixth season to record the school's first ever team national title. Over the last two seasons the program has combined to go 99-25 (.798).
