Nov. 5, 2014 (Report #9)
Contact: Bob Guptill ([email protected])
503-305-8756 / www.gnacsports.com
GNAC Earns Top 4 Slots in West Region Poll; Qualifiers Announced Sunday
Generally the top seed team following the final weekend of play
earns the right to host the tournament.
GNAC STANDINGS (through Nov. 12)
Northwest Nazarene
Alaska Anchorage
Western Washington
Central Washington
Simon Fraser
MSU Billings
Seattle Pacific
Alaska
Western Oregon
Saint Martin’s
Conf.
W
L
16
1
14
2
12
4
12
5
10
6
6 10
5 11
3 13
2 14
1 15
All
W
23
20
19
19
16
11
11
3
4
4
L
2
4
6
6
8
14
13
21
20
24
H
9-0
9-2
9-1
11-1
10-3
8-6
6-7
2-9
1-6
1-9
A
8-2
9-1
4-4
4-4
4-4
2-6
3-5
1-10
3-8
1-10
N
6-0
2-1
6-1
2-1
2-1
1-2
2-1
0-2
0-6
2-5
Saturday’s Schedule
*Simon Fraser at Alaska Anchorage, 7:30 p.m.
*Western Washington at Alaska
*MSU Billings at Saint Martin’s
*Seattle Pacific at Western Oregon.
Saturday’s Schedule
*Western Washington at Alaska Anchorage, 7:30 p.m.
*Northwest Nazarene at Central Washington
*Simon Fraser at Alaska
*MSU Billings at Western Oregon
*Seattle Pacific at Saint Martin’s.
*Conference game
PORTLAND, Ore. - Led by Northwest Nazarene, GNAC teams hold
the first four positions in this week's NCAA Division II West
Regional volleyball poll.
The Crusaders and Alaska Anchorage held on to the No. 1 and No.
2 positions for the third week in a row, while Western Washington
and Central Washington each moved up one position to third and
fourth after being ranked fourth and fifth each of the past two
weeks.
BYU-Hawaii slipped to fifth in the final ranking prior to this
Sunday's announcement of the eight qualifiers for next week's
NCAA Regionals.
Since 2001 the tournament, except in 2012 when it was held in
Laie, Hawaii, has always been in southern California (CSU San
Bernardino 2001-02, UC San Diego 2003-04, Cal State L.A., 2005,
CSU San Bernardino 2006-11, BYU-Hawaii 2012, CSU San
Bernardino 2013).
The eight qualifiers will include the champions of the GNAC,
PacWest Conference and California Collegiate Athletic Association
along with the next five highest ranked teams.
Northwest Nazarene has clinched a tie for the GNAC title and the
conference's automatic berth.
Sonoma State has a one match lead over Cal State San Bernardino
in the CCAA.
In the PacWest defending regional champion BYU-Hawaii leads
Dixie State by one-half match.
The three-day, single-elimination tournament begins Thursday.
The winner advances to the NCAA Division II Fall Sports Festival,
which will be held Dec. 4-6 at Louisville, Kent.
In this week’s AVCA national poll, which has no impact on the
official NCAA regional poll, BYU-Hawaii is the highest ranked West
Region team at No. 9.
Northwest Nazarene is ranked 11th, Western Washington is
ranked 15th, Cal State San Bernardino is ranked 22nd and Alaska
Anchorage is ranked 24th.
Central Washington is among "others receiving votes" and is 28th
overall.
NCAA West Regional Poll (Nov. 12) – 1. Northwest Nazarene (232); 2. Alaska Anchorage (20-4); 3. Western Washington (19-6); 4.
Central Washington (19-6); 5. BYU-Hawaii (19-5); 6. Sonoma State
(18-5); 7. CSU San Bernardino (18-6); 8. Dixie State (19-8); 9.
Humboldt State (16-8); 10. Cal State L.A. (16-7).
The field and host for the tournament will be unveiled Sunday
night at 7 p.m. (PST) on a ncaa.com web cast.
NNU Needs Win or UAA Loss To Win Outright Title
This week's second five includes Sonoma State (6th), Cal State San
Bernardino (7th), Dixie State (8th), Humboldt State (9th) and Cal
State L.A. (10th).
Northwest Nazarene needs a win Saturday at Central Washington
or one Alaska Anchorage loss this weekend to clinch the GNAC
title outright.