Western Washington University's volleyball team is heading into the 2026-27 season with a national ranking for the first time in recent memory, landing at No. 20 in the Division II preseason coaches poll ahead of what promises to be a demanding early schedule. The Vikings are coming off a 19-7 season that included a run to the national tournament, and several key players returning for their senior year give the program a legitimate shot at pushing higher in the rankings as the season unfolds.
The preseason ranking reflects genuine respect from coaches around the country for what Western's program has built. Earning a top-20 spot in the D-II preseason poll means other coaching staffs nationwide have taken note of WWU's roster and recent results. Preseason polls in Division II volleyball are compiled from votes cast by head coaches across the country, meaning the No. 20 placement is a collective judgment from people who study these programs closely. For a program based in Bellingham, competing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, that kind of national recognition is not routine, and it raises the stakes considerably for the fall season.
The GNAC itself has grown into one of the more competitive mid-major conferences in Division II athletics, with programs spread across Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, and Hawaii. Finishing 19-7 within that environment while also advancing to the national tournament signals that Western has moved beyond being simply a good regional team and is now capable of competing with programs from conferences with far larger recruiting footprints. That trajectory is precisely what the preseason ranking is designed to reward.
Key Returners and What to Watch
Outside hitter Delaney Speer headlines the returning group. Speer earned honorable mention All-America honors last season, a recognition that places her among the top players at her position across all of Division II volleyball. The All-America honorable mention designation in Division II is awarded by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and requires selection from a pool that spans hundreds of programs nationwide. Her return gives WWU a proven, nationally recognized offensive weapon heading into a year when expectations are high.
Outside hitters in modern volleyball carry significant offensive responsibility, functioning as the primary terminal option on the left side of the net. A nationally recognized player at that position can change how opposing teams must structure their defensive schemes, opening up opportunities for middle blockers and right-side attackers that might otherwise be unavailable. Speer's experience running that role through a full season that ended at the national tournament means she arrives in 2026-27 as one of the more seasoned players at her position in the conference.
Speer is joined by several other seniors completing their time in a Viking uniform, giving the program a core of experienced players who have been through the grind of a full D-II season and a national tournament run together. That kind of shared experience at the top of a roster is often what separates programs that earn rankings from those that cash them in. Younger players on the roster will benefit from playing alongside a senior class that has already demonstrated it can handle the pressure of late-season and postseason competition.
The 19-7 record from last season represented meaningful improvement and demonstrated that Western can compete with the top programs in the GNAC and beyond. A national tournament appearance is not guaranteed every year even for well-regarded programs, and making the field last year while building a young roster has set the stage for a more mature team this fall. Programs that return significant experience from a tournament squad routinely take a step forward the following season, and the preseason ranking suggests coaches nationally believe that pattern will hold for WWU.
The Season Opener: A Tough Test in Ellensburg
Western's first real test comes quickly. The Vikings open their season against fourth-nationally-ranked Point Loma Nazarene University in Ellensburg next Thursday, a matchup that will immediately tell coaches and fans what this team is made of. Point Loma, based in San Diego, has been one of the most consistently dominant programs in D-II volleyball for years. The Sea Lions routinely recruit from a deep Southern California talent pool and have built a program that regularly competes for national championships. Facing them in the first tournament of the season is a high-risk, high-reward scheduling decision that will either launch WWU into the national conversation or offer an early lesson in what still needs to improve.
The gap between a No. 20 ranking and a No. 4 ranking is substantial on paper, but early-season tournaments are unpredictable. Ranked teams regularly lose to lower-seeded opponents in August and September when rosters are still finding their chemistry and coaches are still experimenting with lineups and rotations. A strong showing against Point Loma would do more for Western's national standing than a comfortable win over a mid-tier opponent ever could, and the program's decision to schedule this kind of match early reflects a confidence in the returning roster.
The tournament is held at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, a familiar road destination for GNAC schools located in the center of the state. For Bellingham fans wanting to follow the action from home, results and live stats are typically posted through the WWU Athletics website during tournament weekends.
Other Local Sports Notes
While Western volleyball takes the spotlight locally this week, a few other regional sports items are worth noting for Whatcom County sports fans. The Seattle Mariners are in the middle of a critical stretch of their season, down four games to the division-leading Houston Astros with 37 games remaining. The recent road trip included a pair of significant wins over Houston that trimmed the deficit, giving the team some momentum heading into a series against a tough opponent. They opened a series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday evening, with pitcher Bryce Miller taking the mound for the series opener. Milwaukee owns the best record in baseball and is returning home after beating the defending champion Dodgers three games to one in Los Angeles. The Brewers are led by National League Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski, who will not pitch in this series, offering Seattle a measure of relief. Coverage aired on KPUG radio, which serves the Bellingham area, with pregame coverage beginning at 3:30 and first pitch at 4:40.
On a separate and notable note for Mariners fans, the team announced plans to honor longtime broadcaster Rick Rizzs with a farewell weekend during the final regular-season series of the year. The celebration will take place against the Los Angeles Angels from September 25 through the 27th and includes a fireworks night, a commemorative T-shirt giveaway, and a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Rizzs himself. The team has also launched a dedicated phone line called the "Holy Smokes" Hotline, where fans can call 206-346-4299 to leave a personal message for Rizzs. It is a fitting tribute for one of the most recognized voices in Pacific Northwest sports broadcasting.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, are navigating a more complicated offseason situation. Seattle agreed to sign cornerback Terrion Arnold, a former first-round pick, but the 23-year-old faces eight felony charges related to an alleged kidnapping and robbery in Tampa, Florida, that occurred in February. He has agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary deal with Seattle. The NFL is expected to place Arnold on the commissioner's exempt list when he signs, making him ineligible to play or practice during the league's review. If ultimately cleared, Arnold is projected to compete for the team's No. 3 cornerback job. The situation adds uncertainty to Seattle's secondary heading into the regular season. The news coincided with the release of episode three of Hard Knocks on HBO, available to stream starting at 6:00 Tuesday evening.
In broader sports media news, ESPN announced the passing of Bill Rasmussen, co-founder of the network, at his Florida home at the age of 93 following the effects of Parkinson's disease. Rasmussen is credited with conceiving the original idea for ESPN alongside his son Scott before its launch in 1979 as the world's first 24-hour television sports network. His death marks the end of an era for American sports media.
For Western Washington University athletics schedules and roster information, visit the WWU Vikings athletics site. Volleyball home games at Carver Gym on the Bellingham campus will offer local fans their first look at the ranked team when the home schedule opens later in the fall. Check the schedule for specific dates and see past local sports coverage for more on Whatcom County athletics this summer.
