BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Bolstered by a third consecutive team titles sweep at the GNAC Indoor Championships, WWU Track & Field head coach Ben Stensland has earned two more GNAC Coach of the Year awards.
 
Stensland and his coaching staff piloted the Vikings to the men's and women's championship at the indoor conference meet in February, extending WWU's string of consecutive GNAC team titles to 18 across the sports of cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & Field. The Vikings have won every team trophy in those sports since sweeping the outdoor titles in the spring of 2023.
 
"This is really an award for our entire coaching staff and student-athletes, who have poured their hearts into the program," said Stensland. "We have a great group of coaches that dedicate a lot of time into mentoring our student-athletes…and for that I am forever thankful. Every member of the team contributes to these awards and the conference championships."
 
The awards continue to mount for the WWU coaching staff, winning all 18 Coach of the Year awards during the incredible streak of consecutive GNAC Championships.
 
The Vikings got the job done once again this winter, with the men's team breaking the GNAC indoor record for total points with 190. That was 2.33 points more than the previous total of 187.66 set by WWU in 2024, and it was an 88-point victory margin over men's team runner-up Central Washington (102 points).
 
On the women's side WWU racked up 163 points to fend off the Wildcats by 11 (152 points).
 
During the Vikings two-day winning performance at the GNAC Championships held February 16-17 at The Podium in Spokane, the team featured eight individual gold medals and two winning relay teams. The Vikings set six school records, recorded 28 program top 10 marks and had 35 student-athletes earn medals as All-GNAC performers.
 
The Vikings concluded the indoor season at the NCAA Division II Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with the women's team tying for 29th place with seven points. The 4x400 relay placed 7th to earn First Team All-America honors, with individuals Emmy Kroontje (5th place, 800m) and Bec Bennett (8th place, 400m) also earning First Team All-America trophies.
 
Stensland is in his fourth season at the helm of the WWU Track & Field and Cross Country program, and overall his 16th as a coach for the Vikings going back to his start in 2009-10.