BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball team heads into the 2026 season with an experienced group of returning players after making a return trip to the NCAA Championships last season.
 
The Vikings report to campus in early August and officially open the 2026 season August 27 at the Central Washington Invitational in Ellensburg followed by the Cal Poly Pomona Tournament in Pomona, California.
 
WWU embarks on the 18-match Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate with its home opener September 10 hosting Northwest Nazarene University on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
  The Vikings open the season with six consecutive non-conference matches away from Bellingham with the season-opening tournament the CWU Invitational August 27-29. WWU faces a tough tournament field in Ellensburg with matches against the West Regional champion from the last two seasons – Point Loma and San Francisco State – as well as perennial regional participant Chaminade.
 
WWU then travels to Pomona, California, for the Cal Poly Pomona Tournament with matches against West Region foes Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State LA.
 
The 18-match GNAC schedule begins with a pair of home contests against NNU on September 10 and rival Central Washington on September 12, both 7 pm matches in Carver Gym.
  The current 2026 roster features four seniors with outside hitter Delaney Speer, middle Emily Vossenkuhl, defensive specialist/libero Finnley Claeys and setter Caroline Hansen competing in their final collegiate season.
 
Speer is Western's leading returning offensive player after averaging 3.58 kills and 3.43 digs per set in 2025 to earn First Team All-GNAC honors and honorable mention AVCA All-America. She started all 26 matches, recorded 16 double-doubles and reached double-digit kills in 21 matches. Speer also contributed 30 service aces and 38 blocks.
 
Vossenkuhl anchors the Vikings at the net after averaging 1.20 blocks per set, ranking third in the GNAC and 24th nationally. She also averaged 1.89 kills per set and led Western with a .305 hitting percentage to earn All-GNAC honors for the third time.
 
Claeys appeared in all 26 matches and 95 sets during the 2025 season. She ranked second on the team with 3.68 digs per set and added 40 service aces and 74 assists.
 
Hansen also played in all 26 matches and averaged 5.43 assists per set. She totaled 152 digs and 24 service aces while recording four double-doubles.
 
Additional players to keep an eye on in 2026 include sophomores Violet Burchak, Teya Zaddack and Chayse Flick-Williams, along with junior setter Maleah Andrews. Zaddack started all 26 matches and recorded 69 kills and 66 blocks and Flick-Williams appeared in all 26 matches and 95 sets, contributing 26 service aces.
 
Second-year players Aly Skagen, Maren Stuber, Brooke Berglund and Dani Turcinec will look to take on larger roles after utilizing their redshirt seasons in 2025. WWU also features five incoming freshman – Emme Shaffer (OH), Quinn Pedersen (M/Opp), Nohea Alo (OH), Jasmine Terry (M/Opp) and Maya Quitiquit (Setter).
  Head coach Diane Flick-Williams lead the Vikings in 2026, her 27th at the helm of the program. Flick-Williams is the winningest coach in program and GNAC history owning a 549-156 (.779) record with an impressive 387-67 mark in GNAC matches (.852). She has led the program to 11 GNAC titles, 17 NCAA postseason appearances and four trips to the Elite Eight. She is joined by assistant coaches Justice Magraw and Chris Leverenz.
  Western finished the 2025 season with a 19-7 overall record and a 13-5 mark in GNAC play. The Vikings went 9-3 at home, 8-3 on the road and 2-1 in neutral-site matches. WWU's longest winning streak of the season spanned 11 consecutive matches from September 5 through October 2.
 
The Vikings finished one game behind the conference leaders in the GNAC standings and was led by GNAC Player of the Year Devyn Oestreich, who completed her senior season averaging a conference-leading 3.87 kills (1st in GNAC, 32nd in NCAA) and 3.81 digs per set while recording 18 double-doubles.
 
The Vikings also had stellar season performances from junior Delaney Speer and middle Emily Vossenkuhl. Speer earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-America, First Team All-West Region and First Team All-GNAC honors. Vossenkuhl received All-GNAC Honorable Mention recognition for the third consecutive season.