BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University head volleyball coach Diane Flick-Williams has announced the 2017 schedule, featuring tournament trips to Florida and Alaska, along with a rigorous 20-match Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate.

The 2017 campaign begins with a cross country trip to Lakeland, Florida for The Terrace Hotel Classic hosted by Florida Southern College. WWU will open the season against eight-time and defending national champion Concordia, St. Paul on Friday, September 1. Western will also face Pace University (23-9 in 2016), University of New Haven (20-9 in 2016) and the tournament host Moccasins (22-11 in 2016) in the season-opening tournament.

The Vikings will then cross back across the country and head north to Anchorage, Alaska for the 2017 D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase hosted by the University of Alaska-Anchorage at the Alaska Airlines Center. Western will face 2016 NCAA Tournament teams California Baptist, Cal State San Bernardino and Chico State, along with Concordia-Irvine in the top pod of the showcase.

WWU opens the GNAC schedule on the road at Central Washington (9/14) and Northwest Nazarene (9/16), before opening up a renovated Carver Gymnasium on Tuesday, September 19 vs. Simon Fraser. The Vikings played their home matched in 2015-16 at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham during the two-year renovation of WWU’s on campus athletic facility.

The Vikings will play four of their first six GNAC matches, and six of first 10, in Carver Gym. After four consecutive road matches Oct. 17-28, WWU will complete the regular season with four of the last six matches in Bellingham, including a showdown with defending league champion Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, November 2.

All home matches are scheduled to start at 7 pm with tickets available in advance online via the WWU Box Office.

The Vikings are coming off another strong season in 2016, going 23-8 and advancing to the NCAA II West Regional Championship for the second consecutive season and the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season. WWU finished the season ranked No. 14 in the nation in the AVCA Division II, the fourth-highest in program history trailing only the 2007 season (#2), 2015 (#6) and 2003 (#9). WWU has advanced to the NCAA Championships each of the last five seasons, compiling a 118-29 (.803) record during that span.

The 2017 squad returns six players who all made at least 15 starts last season, and a pair of liberos that saw extensive duty on the floor. Outside hitters Abby Phelps (Jr., Manson, WA/Chelan) and Arielle Turner (Sr., Leavenworth, WA/Cascade) were both named First Team All-GNAC last season, while Phelps was an honorable mention AVCA All-America selection.

Q&A with Head Coach Diane Flick-Williams
You once again start the season with a tough schedule facing the defending national champions in a tournament in Florida. When scheduling these games, what are you hoping your program gets out of facing the best teams in the nation right out of the gates?
Every season needs a starting point and I like early tests to see where we are, where we need to go, and what we need to do to get there. Being battle tested early helps prepare us for a tough Crossover tournament and a conference schedule that is challenging day in and day out.
You return a majority of your team that advanced to the NCAA II West Regional Championship last season (and the Final Four the year before). Are you expecting this group to take another step forward?
The result of this season will be what it is. Our focus is to dedicate ourselves to what we can do today because each season’s success will take a lot of hard work, a lot of focus, and a little luck to go far. We can control 2 of the 3 so that is what we choose to put our energy into rather than the end.
The D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase takes you to Alaska this season where the top West Region teams will face off. How has this tournament helped gain exposure for the very competitive West Region?
Ever since the beginning of the crossover tournament, the GNAC has benefitted greatly from the results. We have had more teams qualify for the regional tournament than ever before. The level of competition in the GNAC has increased tremendously and now we have more presence nationally.
The GNAC sent a record five teams to the NCAA Tournament last season…do you see this conference continue to get more balanced?
No question there is more and more parity in the conference. Any given night is anybody’s match, and the level of focus it takes over time to be great in this conference is significant. There is no question that the level of play has increased.
You are FINALLY moving back into Carver Gym after two years playing home games across town. What does this mean for your program with the enhanced team facilities, practice facilities and home court advantage?
You never really know what you have until it is gone. Not having a home and being a guest for the last two years has been quite a challenge, so being “home” will be special. Our practice facility has increased in size, our meeting facility has been upgraded and the opportunity for technology has increased tenfold. Beyond that, being in a location where we can have our students and community come together in support of our team is priceless!
What is your overall goal for this team heading into the 2017 season?
It may sound cliché, but I truly want this team to develop a growth mindset where we are always present and working on getting better in the moment. This would not only be good for this season, but for their futures as well.
Who are some players you are excited about taking the “next” step up and taking their game to a new level? Any new players you are really excited to see how they contribute to the team?
Everyone has done a great job getting better in the offseason to increase and expand their skills. In addition, everyone has contributed to working on the culture and chemistry of our team so it is hard to single anyone out. It has been great to have healthy Joellee (Buckner) this spring to lead us into her senior season. Arielle (Turner) has stepped up in a leadership role to help guide our ship. Michaela (Hall) has done what she has always done and worked to get better every day. Abby (Phelps) has grown in so many ways…it will be great to see how that translates this fall. Brette (Boesel) has been a great hub to our offensive wheel. Every person I mentioned would be the first to say that it is the people around them that have helped them get better. Like always, we are not looking to be stars. We need a galaxy.