BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball team has been voted to finish second in a tightly packed 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, announced Tuesday by the conference office in Portland, Ore.

The Vikings received three of the 11 first-place votes, and a total of 109 points to finish one back of defending conference champion Alaska Anchorage (5 five-place votes) in the preseason poll. Northwest Nazarene received the remaining three first-place votes while ranking third with 106 points. Central Washington (89 points) and Simon Fraser (77 points) rounded out the top five of the poll. The top five in the preseason poll all advanced to the NCAA II West Regional last year, with the Vikings and Seawolves squaring off in the West Regional Championship match.

Concordia was voted sixth with 67 points followed by Western Oregon (50 pts.), Seattle Pacific (46 pts.), Saint Martin’s (26 pts.), Alaska (25 pts.) and Montana State Billings (21 pts.).

WWU heads into the 2017 season also ranked No. 12 in the AVCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll after finishing 23-8 overall last season and second place in the GNAC with a 17-3 mark. The Vikings have advanced to five consecutive NCAA II Tournaments, including a Final Four run in 2015. Head coach Diane Flick-Williams (18th season) leads a veteran team that finished 7th in NCAA II last season in kills per set (14.38) and 14th in hitting percentage (.253). The 2017 squad features 12 returning letterwinners and seven players that started at least 14 matches.

“We are having a great preseason and looking forward to opening the season against great competition,” said Flick-Williams. “The GNAC is a very competitive conference and is only going to get better. Every week will be a challenge, whether it is at home or on the road.”

WWU opens the 2017 season Sept. 1-2 with four matches at The Terrace Hotel Classic in Lakeland, Fla., where they will face Concordia-St. Paul, Pace, New Haven and tournament host Florida Southern. WWU’s first home match on WECU Court at the newly-renovated Carver Gymnasium will be September 19 vs. Simon Fraser (7 pm).

The 2017 schedule features 10 matches (out of 28) against teams that are listed in the top 35 of the AVCA preseason poll, including defending national champion and preseason No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul. WWU is one of two GNAC teams in the preseason top 25, with Alaska Anchorage checking in at No. 4. Northwest Nazarene (#27) and Central Washington (#34) also received votes in the preseason national poll.

2017 GNAC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL
Team (1st Place Votes) 2016 Record (GNAC) Points
1. Alaska Anchorage (5) 34-3 (19-1, 1st) 110
2. Western Washington (3) 23-8 (17-3, 2nd) 109
3. Northwest Nazarene (3) 22-7 (13-7, T4th ) 106
4. Central Washington 17-12 (13-7, T4th) 89
5. Simon Fraser 21-8 (14-6, 3rd) 77
6. Concordia 15-13 (11-9, 6th) 67
7. Western Oregon 10-17 (7-13, T7th) 50
8. Seattle Pacific 11-17 (7-13, T7th) 46
9. Saint Martin’s 6-18 (2-18, T10th) 26
10. Alaska 3-24 (2-18, T10th) 25
11. Montana State Billings 7-23 (5-15, 9th) 21
Votes awarded on a 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis

— @WWUVolleyball —