Wednesday, October 28, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington and Western Oregon will open the 2015-16 season among the top-25 ranked teams in the nation as both GNAC teams appear in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Preseason Rankings.

The Vikings, selected by coaches to win the GNAC championship, opens the season ranked No. 15. Western Washington finished the 2014-15 season 20-11 overall and advanced to the GNAC Tournament championship game, where they lost to Seattle Pacific. The Vikings return four of their five starters from last year’s team, including GNAC Preseason All-Conference selections Jeffrey Parker and Ricardo Maxwell.

Western Oregon, the defending GNAC regular season champion, opens the season ranked No. 21. The Wolves went 23-7 overall last year, 15-3 in conference, and advanced for the first time to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Picked to finish second in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, Western Oregon is led by Andy Avgi, the GNAC Preseason Player of the Year and a preseason All-America selection by both The Sporting News and Division II Bulletin.

Both teams finished the 2014-15 season unranked. Western Oregon was ranked as high as No. 16 earlier in the season while Western Washington opened the season ranked No. 12, but was unranked after week one.

Seattle Pacific was among 65 schools receiving votes in the poll with 18 points. The Falcons are picked third in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Western Washington will open the 2015-16 GNAC men’s basketball season on Friday, facing UC Colorado Springs in the D2 CCA Tip-Off Classic in Anaheim, Calif. Western Oregon will play an exhibition at Oregon State on Nov. 5 and opens the regular season on Fri., Nov. 13, against Point Loma at Lacey, Wash. Seattle Pacific will play an exhibition at Washington on Nov. 5 and opens their regular season against Concordia-Irvine on Nov. 13 at the Dixie State Classic in St. George, Utah.