Monday, August 16, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington has won the last three conference titles and coaches don’t expect that roll to slow down.

The Vikings collected five first-place votes to be selected as the narrow favorite in the 2021 GNAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll. Western Washington received all first and second-place votes to finish with a total of 95 points.

Alaska Anchorage, which won the previous two titles before Western Washington’s current run, is picked a close second with 92 points. The Seawolves received the other five first-place votes.

Central Washington is picked third with 73 points, followed by Alaska in fourth with 66 points and Seattle Pacific in fifth with 56 points. Rounding out the poll is Simon Fraser (54), Northwest Nazarene (47), Montana State Billings (35), Saint Martin’s (21) and Western Oregon (11).

In winning their last conference title in 2019, Western Washington was simply dominant. The Vikings led Division II in blocks per set (2.99), ranked fifth in hitting percentage (.270) and ninth in assists per set (13.15), leading the GNAC in all those categories. They also led the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.132) and kills per set (13.93). Finishing with a 27-3 record, Western Washington advanced to the NCAA West Region semifinals after making it to the Division II championship match in 2018.

During the COVID abbreviated 2020-21 season, Western Washington finished with a 9-2 record and led all GNAC programs in kills per set (13.40) and blocks per set (2.65).

Junior Gabby Gunterman and sophomore Calley Heilborn lead the Vikings’ offense at the outside hitter positions. Gunterman, who was named a Third Team AVCA All-American in 2019, averaged 2.45 kills and 2.95 digs per set in the spring. Heilborn, the 2019 GNAC Freshman of the Year, led WWU in the spring with 3.53 kills and four digs per set. Sophomore setter Malia Aleaga was a Third Team D2CCA All-American in 2019 and averaged 7.76 assists per set in the spring season. Junior middle blocker Chloe Roetcisoender, an Honorable Mention All-GNAC selection in 2019, averaged 1.70 kills and 1.30 blocks per set last spring.

Always ranking among the teams to beat, Alaska Anchorage is the only GNAC squad to beat Western Washington over the last two full seasons. The Seawolves led the conference and finished ninth in Division II with 2.11 aces per set in 2019 and finished second to WWU in the conference rankings in hitting percentage (.233) and blocks (2.56 per set). Playing 15 matches during the spring 2021 season, UAA led all competing GNAC squads with a .238 hitting percentage while averaging 12.89 kills per set.

Senior right-side hitter Eve Stephens sets the pace for the UAA offense. A Second Team AVCA All-American in 2019, Stephens averaged 4.16 kills and 2.54 digs per set with a .290 hitting percentage last spring. Junior setter Ellen Floyd was a First Team All-West Region selection and Honorable Mention All-American in 2019. She averaged 9.53 assists per set over the spring. Senior middle blocker Vera Pluharova adds stability at the net, averaging 1.07 kills and 1.02 blocks per set during the spring season.

Central Washington has finished no worse than third in each of the last three full seasons. The Wildcats went 23-7 in 2019, finshing with a .191 hitting percentage and ranked third in the GNAC at 12.88 kills per set and finished second with a .159 opponent hitting percentage. Central Washington compiled a 1-6 record in the abbreviated spring 2021 season, averaging 10.29 kills per set.

Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Kaufman steps in as the offensive leader. She opened her CWU career with averages of 2.50 kills and 2.96 digs per set in 2019 with 39 service aces. She did not play last spring. Freshman Kylie Thorne led the team during the spring with 2.47 kills per set while freshman defensive specialist Hannah Stires averaged five digs per set. Sophomore setter Sydney Remsberg averaged 4.22 assists and 2.30 digs per set during the spring.

Picked to finish fourth, Alaska continues to be the most improved team in the GNAC. The Nanooks finished fifth in the conference in both 2018 and 2019 after having placed no better than seventh in the decade before. Alaska averaged 12.01 kills per set in 2019 and ranked third in the conference and 19th in Division II with 2.33 blocks per set. The Nanooks amassed a 5-6 record last spring, averaging 11.44 kills and 1.81 blocks per set.

Senior setter Cate Whiting was a First Team All-GNAC selection in 2019. She averaged 7.49 assists and 2.73 digs per set last spring with 17 aces. Senior outside hitter Lahra Weber earned Honorable Mention All-GNAC honors in 2019 and led the Nanoooks during the spring season with 2.50 kills per set. Senior outside hitter AveRee Reynolds was named the GNAC Newcomer of the Year in 2019 and was an Honorable Mention All-GNAC selection. She averaged 1.12 kills per set during the spring after averaging 2.49 kills per set in 2019.

Seattle Pacific is expected to continue its steady climb up the standings, picked for fifth after finishing sixth in 2019. The Falcons’ 10-10 conference record in 2019 was just the program’s second .500 or better record since 2014. The team averaged 12.26 kills per set with a .172 hitting percentage and ranked third with 1.79 aces per set. The Falcons went 11-7 during the spring 2021 season, averaging 12.36 kills per set with a .195 hitting percentage.

The offense is led by senior outside hitter Maddie Batiste. The Honorable Mention All-GNAC selection in 2019 averaged 2.76 kills and 2.57 digs per set in the spring with 21 aces. Freshman middle blocker Hannah Hair adds a new dimension for the Falcons at the net. She averaged 2.54 kills and 1.34 blocks per set with a .340 hitting percentage that was second-best in the GNAC over the spring. Sophomore setter Lindsay Lambert averaged 7.87 assists and 2.61 digs per set in the spring.

Simon Fraser is looking forward to a return to the court after not being able to play last year due to the pandemic. The team tied with Central Washington for third in 2019, ranking second in the GNAC with 13.06 kills and 12.42 assists per set and third with a .200 hitting percentage. Simon Fraser led the conference and ranked 27th in Division II with 18.47 digs per set.

Senior setter Julia Tays is Simon Fraser’s most experienced returner. The First Team All-GNAC selection in 2019 averaged 9.57 assists and 2.49 digs per set that season with 40 aces. Sophomore middle blocker Kalyn Hartmann averaged two kills and 0.72 blocks per set with a .262 hitting percentage as she developed into a regular starter as a freshman.

Northwest Nazarene had a solid base of competition over the spring, compiling a 6-9 record after finishing at 13-14 during the 2019 campaign. The Nighthawks finished 2019 averaging 11.81 kills per set with a .183 hitting percentage while ranking third in the conference with 17.94 digs per set. During the spring 2021 season, NNU ranked third among GNAC teams with a .205 hitting percentage while averaging 11.69 kills per set.

The Nighthawks’ offense is led by junior outside hitter Brooke Foster. The First Team All-GNAC selection and Honorable Mention AVCA All-American averaged 2.69 kills and 2.90 digs per set during the spring with a .211 hitting percentage and 22 aces. Junior setter Mckenzie Lee averaged 5.77 assists and 1.69 digs per set during the spring while junior middle blocker Tayler Markland averaged 1.52 kills and 1.08 blocks per set with a .335 hitting percentage.

Picked to finish eighth, Montana State Billings impressed in the spring with a 5-1 record. The Yellowjackets averaged 12.14 kills per set with a .160 hitting percentage while also leading all GNAC programs with 17.64 digs per set. In 2019, MSUB averaged 11.43 kills per set with a .183 hitting percentage while ranking fifth in the GNAC with 1.91 blocks per set.

Senior right-side hitter Bayli Monck returns after earning First Team All-GNAC honors in 2019. She paced the Yellowjackets’ offense in the spring with averages of 3.29 kills and 3.07 digs per set with a .204 hitting percentage. Junior outside hitter Skylar Reed averaged 3.32 kills per set with a .211 hitting percentage while senior middle blocker Jackie Mahowald compiled totals of 2.61 kills and 0.64 blocks per set with a .314 hitting percentage.

Saint Martin’s will finally get to play its first full season under head coach Dan Behnke, who took over the program just before the pandemic began. With 11 players returning, the Saints hope to improve on their 1-28 record in 2019 and their 1-6 record during the spring season. In 2019, SMU averaged 9.94 kills per set.

Sophomore outside hitter Kylie Coon averaged 2.96 kills and 2.04 digs per set with a .191 hitting percentage the spring to lead the Saint Martin’s offense. The Saints should benefit from a solid defense in junior defensive specialist Kylie Alos and sophomore Giselle Benetti. Alos averaged 2.11 digs per set in the spring while Benetti averaged 3.92 digs per set.

Western Oregon finished the 2019 season with a 5-22 record and went 0-7 in the abbreviated spring 2021 season. The Wolves averaged 10.59 kills per set in 2019 with a .160 hitting percentage and averaged 10.41 kills per set in the spring. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Smith led the offense last spring with 2.77 kills per set while junior setter Aubrey Stanton averaged six assists per set.

Alaska and Alaska Anchorage will open the 2021 season with matches in Hawaii against Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade on August 27, 28 and 29. All 10 conference teams are scheduled to be in action over Labor Day Weekend. The GNAC season begins with four matches on Thursday, September 16.