Sports!

An update on recent Viking victories
By Julia Berkman
Happy November, Vikings! For those of you at home keeping score, this is the second Sports Update of the season! Winter sports are just starting, but most fall sports are coming to the end of their active season, so let’s check in and see how they did!
SOCCER
The women’s soccer team is looking to finish off their perfect season with big wins at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) in a few weeks. The team has kept up the second-longest active winning streak in Division II Soccer history, with seven of their starters from last year still present on the roster. They have also broken four records at the GNAC regular-season championships so far, and are looking to break more at the end-of-season finals.
These Vikings are coached by Travis Connell, a Seattle Pacific alumni. He has been awarded the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year five times. Connell has been dubbed the ‘winningest coach’ in Western women’s soccer history! Hopefully this year he’ll win more well-deserved awards and accolades for his work coaching the team to a 15-win season.
The finals for these Vikings are coming up, so be sure to cheer them on win or lose!
The men’s soccer team is also racking up some wins and awards. Four members of the team have been named part of the GNAC All-Academic Team for their scholarly behavior.

ABOVE: Redshirt Freshman defender Nick Morgan staves off an attack from Simon Fraser offense at a home game on November 3. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
The men’s team coach is Greg Brisbon, who graduated from Seattle Pacific in 1998. On the team roster is GNAC All-Star runner-up Eleazar Galvan, a forward who was just named the GNAC Player of the Week.
The men’s team is rounding off their year with seven wins and three ties. They will also be competing in the NCAA Division II West Regional championships in a few days. Come cheer them on or watch the live stream.
BASKETBALL
Men’s Basketball has put in quite the effort training for the beginning of their 2016-17 season. Their first scrimmage of the season ended in a sweeping triumph. The Viking Basketball team is coached by Tony Dominguez, a Western alum, who mentored his first team in 2013 to a 24-game winning streak. Hopefully he can do the same this year with a fresh crop of players!
The men’s team this year has lost six of their eleven starters from last year’s season, but they also received some strong incoming students. Ibra Drame, a transfer student with an impressive record, and incoming freshman Christian Rotter, an all star at his high school, are being added to the team roster. These Vikings are starting off their season with a bang on November 11 with a Pioneer Challenge Game in California. You can catch the game streaming online if plane tickets to California are too expensive for you!
The women’s basketball team, coached by Carmen Dolfo, has kicked off their preseason with a big win against Trinity Western in an exhibition game. Last year, the Vikings reached the GNAC Semifinals with a 20-9 record.
They’re currently gearing up for two West Region Crossover Classic games happening next week, where they’ll be playing against Humboldt State and Fresno Pacific. Dolfo is among the top 20 all-time Division II women’s coaches. Hopefully the team can bring Dolfo more of the glory they’re accustomed to in a few days at the Crossover Classic games.
VOLLEYBALL
Western’s Volleyball team, coached by the insurmountable Diane Flick-Williams, are closing their season out with sixteen wins. Flick-Williams has been named Winningest Volleyball Coach in Western’s history, as well as being a Eight-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
This year, she has coached her fantastic team comprised of 10 returning letterwinners, five of whom are starters. However, don’t think this team doesn’t also have some strong beginning players! Freshman libero Mae Thungc was just recently named the GNAC player of the week.
Last year the team won a whopping 27 games, earning them a spot in the NCAA II Final Four. The team earned the fifth most wins in single-season program history, as well as being the GNAC Championship runner-ups. Their next game against Seattle Pacific is coming up on Nov 10. It’s a home game, so paint your face and watch them fly!
CROSS COUNTRY
Both men’s and women’s cross country are finishing up their season with a trip to the NCAA Division II championships on Nov 19.
In the past year, the women’s team placed sixth at NCAA II National Championships, second at NCAA II West Regional and second at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships. These accomplishments were hard won, thanks to Pee-Wee Halsell, who is in his 30th year of coaching.
Two key newcomers from the same high school in New Mexico are rounding out the women’s team this year. They started off their season strong with a first place win at the Central Washington Invite.
The men’s team has also had great success last year, where they placed sixth at NCAA Division II West Regional and third at GNAC Championships. Junior Andrew Wise is returning to the team after a top-ten All Star individual finish in the GNAC Championships.
Their next meet is the NCAA National Championships, so be sure to cheer them on.
Well Vikings, if you’re looking for some entertainment, look no further than our indomitable sports teams. Have a great remainder of the season, everyone!