BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball program is set to embark on a tough 2022 season schedule that will open August 25-27 with the five-team, 12-match WWU Invitational on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings opened preseason practices on Monday and will host a non-counting exhibition match Saturday vs. Corban at 5 pm in Carver Gym (free admission and parking).
23rd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams returns nearly her entire roster from the 2021 squad that advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals (Final Four) and won the program's fourth NCAA West Regional title. WWU is the four-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion, with the Vikings combining to go 118-18 overall during this stretch and 74-4 in conference play during this stretch dating back to the 2017 season.
The Vikings will open the season at home playing Ferris State on Aug. 25 as the host of the 2022 WWU Volleyball Invitational. The Vikings will be joined by Simon Fraser, Sonoma State, Cal State LA, Ferris State and Regis in the 12-match tournament that will feature four matches each day during the three-day event in Carver Gym.
Following the WWU Invitational, Western will travel to play in the prestigious Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver September 2-3, opening the tournament with matches against perennial powers Lewis and Concordia-St. Paul.
The 18-match GNAC schedule begins with three consecutive home matches in Bellingham, with Seattle Pacific (Sept. 8), Montana State Billings (Sept. 10) and Simon Fraser (Sept. 18) visiting Carver Gym. The regular-season schedule concludes with road matches Nov. 10 and 12 at MSUB and SPU. WWU's nine seniors will be celebrated on Senior Night November 5 vs. Saint Martin's.
The eight-team NCAA West Regional will be played Nov. 17-19 at a to-be-determined campus site and the national championship Elite 8 is scheduled for December 1-3 in Seattle.
The Vikings are coming off a 25-5 campaign in 2021, which featured a 17-1 record in GNAC play and a perfect 12-0 record in Carver Gym. WWU is 52-1 in home matches since moving back into renovated Carver Gym in 2017. WWU opens the 2022 season nine wins short of 1,000 in the 50-year history of the program (991-572/.633).
The complete 2022 season schedule can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/VB and detailed information on the WWU Volleyball Invitational can be viewed at wwuvikings.com/VBInvite.
2022 WWU VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
DATE
|
OPPONENT
|
PLACE
|
TIME
|
Aug. 13 (Sat.)
|
CORBAN (exhibition)
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
5:00 pm
|
WWU Volleyball Invitational – Bellingham, WA (Host: WWU)
Western Washington, Cal State LA, Simon Fraser, Ferris State, Sonoma State, Regis
|
Aug. 25 (Thur.)
|
WWU vs. Ferris State
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
12:00 pm
|
|
Simon Fraser vs. Sonoma State
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
2:30 pm
|
|
Cal State LA vs. Ferris State
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
5:00 pm
|
|
WWU vs. Sonoma State
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:30 pm
|
Aug. 26 (Fri.)
|
Cal State LA vs. Regis
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
9:30 am
|
|
Sonoma State vs. Ferris State
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
12:00 pm
|
|
Simon Fraser vs. Ferris State
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
5:00 pm
|
|
WWU vs. Regis
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:30 pm
|
Aug. 27 (Sat.)
|
Simon Fraser vs. Cal State LA
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
9:30 am
|
|
Sonoma State vs. Regis
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
12:00 pm
|
|
Simon Fraser vs. Regis
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
5:00 pm
|
|
WWU vs. Cal State LA
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:30 pm
|
Division II Colorado Premier Challenge – Denver, CO (Host: MSU Denver and Regis)
Pool 1 (at MSU Denver): Western Washington, Concordia-St. Paul, Lewis)
|
Sept. 2 (Fri).
|
Lewis
|
Denver, CO (Auraria Event Center)
|
11:00 am MT
|
|
Concordia-St. Paul
|
Denver, CO (Auraria Event Center)
|
6:00 pm MT
|
Sept. 3 (Sat.)
|
Bracket Play
|
Denver, CO
|
TBD
|
|
Bracket Play
|
Denver, CO
|
TBD
|
Great Northwest Athletic Conference Schedule
|
Sept. 8 (Thur.)
|
SEATTLE PACIFIC
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Sept. 10 (Sat.)
|
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Sept. 17 (Sat.)
|
SIMON FRASER
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Sept. 22 (Thur.)
|
at Alaska Anchorage
|
Anchorage, AK (Alaska Airlines Center)
|
7:00 pm AKT
|
Sept. 24 (Sat.)
|
at Alaska Fairbanks
|
Fairbanks, AK (Alaska Airlines Gym)
|
2:00 pm AKT
|
Sept. 29 (Thur.)
|
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 1 (Sat.)
|
NORTHWEST NAZARENE
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 6 (Thur.)
|
at Saint Martin's
|
Lacey, WA (Marcus Pavilion)
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 8 (Sat.)
|
at Western Oregon
|
Monmouth, OR (New PE Gym)
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 15 (Sat.)
|
at Simon Fraser
|
Burnaby, BC (West Gym)
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 20 (Thur.)
|
ALASKA FAIRBANKS
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 22 (Sat.)
|
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Oct. 27 (Thur.)
|
at Northwest Nazarene
|
Nampa, ID (Johnson Sports Center)
|
7:00 pm MT
|
Oct. 29 (Sat.)
|
at Central Washington
|
Ellensburg, WA (Nicholson Pavilion)
|
1:00 pm
|
Nov. 3 (Thur.)
|
WESTERN OREGON
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
7:00 pm
|
Nov. 5 (Sat.)
|
SAINT MARTIN'S
|
WECU Court in Carver Gym
|
5:00 pm
|
Nov. 10 (Thur.)
|
at Montana State Billings
|
Billings, MT (Alterowitz Gym)
|
7:00 pm MT
|
Nov. 12 (Sat.)
|
at Seattle Pacific
|
Seattle, WA (Brougham Pavilion)
|
2:00 pm
|
2022 NCAA Postseason:
|
Nov. 17-20 (Thu-Sun)
|
NCAA II West Regional
|
Campus Site
|
|
Dec. 1-3 (Thu-Sat)
|
NCAA II Elite 8
|
Seattle, WA (Royal Brougham Pavilion)
|
|
SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
Fans wishing to secure their season tickets for the 2022 season can reach out to the WWU Box Office by emailing Jessie Phillips (Jessie.Phillips@wwu.edu).
The 2021 season was highlighted by winning the fourth West Regional title in program history to advance to the Elite Eight (and Final Four) for the third time in the last six seasons. The Vikings finished the season with a 25-5 overall record, winning its fourth consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference title and made its ninth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships. Western defeated Daemen 3-0 in the national quarterfinal and dropped a four-set match to Washburn in the semifinals, falling just short of a second national title match in the last three seasons. Gabby Gunterman was selected as a First Team AVCA All-American, with Calley Heilborn and Olivia Fairchild earning honorable mention AVCA All-America honors.
Fans can follow WWU Volleyball online at WWUVikings.com/VB, and via social media on Twitter (@WWUVolleyball), Instagram (@WWUVB) and Facebook (@WWUVolleyball). All home matches feature a live webcast, as well as most road matches, with links on how to follow the games available at WWUVikings.com/Live.
The Volleyball will be entering its 51st season as a varsity intercollegiate sport at WWU in 2022, rising to an elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last nine seasons and 15 of the last 20 dating back to the 2001 season. The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Vikings have won the last four GNAC titles with a perfect 19-1 record in 2017, perfect 20-0 mark in 2018, an 18-2 league record in 2019 and clinched the four-peat with a 17-1 record in 2021. Led by 23rd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (485-117/.806) the Vikings have posted a 236-47 record over the last 10 seasons (.834 winning percentage) and played in the NCAA II West Region championship match five out of the last six seasons (2015-21), winning titles in 2015, 2018 and 2021 (also 2007). WWU played for the NCAA II national championship in 2007 and 2018, both national runner-up finishes, and have advanced to the NCAA Final Four in three of the past six seasons (2015, 2018, 2021).