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March 9, 2010

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University women's basketball team is the No. 3 seed in the West Regional of the NCAA Division II National Tournament and faces No.6 Chico State in an opening-round game Friday which tips off at 12:30 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University's Royal Brougham Pavilion.

The game will be broadcast on KBAI Radio (930 AM) and can be viewed via video stream (go to regional link).

Western, ranked No.18 in this week's USA Today/ESPN/NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, enters the tournament with a 23-4 record. It is the 10th appearance in 11 years as a full NCAA member for the Vikings, who missed the post-season only in 2008.

In the other opening-round games at the West Regional, No.2 seed UC San Diego (24-4) faces No.7 Humboldt State University (19-10) at 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m., No.4 University of Alaska Anchorage (23-4) meets No.5 Cal Poly Pomona (22-6) at 5:30 p.m., and top seed Seattle Pacific University (24-3) hosts No.8 Hawaii Pacific University (17-6) at 7:30 p.m.

The Vikings met Chico State earlier this season, claiming an 80-59 victory on Dec. 20 at Carver Gym where they were undefeated in 13 games.

Western is led by three all-stars. Junior guard Amanda Dunbar and senior center Jessica Summers were both named West Region all-stars and are among 40 finalists for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/NCAA II State Farm Coaches' All-America Team. They also were first-team GNAC all-stars, and senior forward Willow Cabe was a second-team pick.

Dunbar is the GNAC's top scorer at 17.3 points a game, the best mark by any Viking since the 1995-96 season. She ranks No.6 nationally in 3-point accuracy at a near school-record pace of 47.1 percent (88-of-187), with her 88 3-pointers being a school single-season record, and is No.10 in treys per game (3.3).

Summers is averaging 16.1 points and 8.9 rebounds, sharing the GNAC lead in rebounds and being fourth in scoring.

Cabe is contributing 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds and leads the conference in free-throw percentage at 84.1 (74-for-88). She ranks among the GNAC's top six in five categories, including scoring, all three shooting percentages, and blocked shots (1.1).

Senior guard Ashley Fenimore averages 6.6 points and tops the GNAC in assists at 3.9 a game. Junior forward Megan Pinske completes the starting lineup, contributing 7.7 points while leading the GNAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).

Junior center Lauren Hefflin is averaging 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds since missing the first five games of the season because of a fractured finger suffered in an exhibition contest.

Other top reserves for the Vikings are senior forward Krystal Robinson (3.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg), who is second among GNAC leaders in blocks with 40 (1.5); sophomore guard Kristin Schramm (2.5 ppg), freshman forward Erika Ramstead (2.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg), and freshman guard Corinn Waltrip (2.2 ppg).

Robinson ranks second in school history in career blocks with 230. She has had 13 games this season with two or more blocks while averaging 12.4 minutes per contest.

Western ranks among the top 10 nationally in all three shooting categories, being No.2 in both 3-point accuracy (41.1, 329-of-424) and field-goal percentage (48.4, 768-of-1587) and No.10 in free-throw percentage (.776, 329-of-424). The Vikings are also No.4 in scoring margin (20.0).

Coach Carmen Dolfo is in her 19th season at Western with a 398-156 record (71.8) percent, and is leading the Vikings into post-season play for the 18th time. She entered the season ranked No.14 among active NCAA II coaches in winning percentage and No.23 in career victories, and has led WWU to 14 20-win campaigns.

Chico State enters the post-season 21-9, having won 13 of its last 15 games after an 8-7 start. The Wildcats ran off 10 straight victories prior to falling to host Humboldt State, 85-55, in the finals of the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament Saturday.

"I think it's more fun in the tournament to play someone outside your conference that you haven't seen for a while," said Dolfo. "Chico State is an athletic team. They like to run, they've got some good shooters and they're well coached. They play really hard."

Junior guard Natasha Smith paces the Wildcats, averaging team-highs of 11.2 points and 3.7 assists. Senior guard Melissa Richardson contributes 10.3 points a contest, and sophomore guard Synchro Bull averages 10.0 points.

The two teams met at Seattle Pacific in the 2005 West Regional where the Wildcats claimed an 85-75 semifinal victory. Western holds a 9-5 series advantage.

The 2010 regional semifinals are Saturday, Mar. 13, with the final Monday, Mar. 15. The regional champion advances to the NCAA II Elite Eight at St. Joseph, Missouri, on Mar. 23-26.

Host and nationally No15-rated Seattle Pacific won the GNAC with a 15-1 record and has won 11 straight games. The Falcons' last loss was to Western, 54-40, in Bellingham on Jan. 23, but SPU claimed a 70-67 triumph over the Vikings in Seattle on Feb. 20.

"I think the team is excited the tournament is in Seattle," Dolfo said. "It gives the players a better opportunity to play in front of family and friends."

Alaska Anchorage has won the last two West Region crowns, and Cal Poly Pomona, a five-time national champion, is making its first regional appearance since 2005.

This is the 37th post-season appearance in the 39-year history of women's basketball at Western.

NCAA DIVISION II WEST REGIONAL

host Seattle Pacific, Royal Brougham Pavilion
Seattle, Wash.

March 12 (Fri.)
Game #1 - No.3 seed West Washington vs. No.6 seed Chico State - 12:30 p.m.
Game #2 - No.2 seed UC San Diego vs. No.7 seed Humboldt State - 2:30 p.m.
Game #3 - No.4 seed Alaska Anchorage vs. No.5 seed Cal Poly Pomona - 5:30 p.m.
Game #4 - No.1 seed Seattle Pacific vs. No.8 seed Hawaii Pacific - 7:30 p.m.

March 13 (Sat.)
Game #5 - Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2 - 5 p.m.
Game #6 - Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 - 7 p.m.

March 15 (Mon.)
Game #7 - Winner Game #5 vs. Winner Game #6 - 7 p.m.

NCAA II ELITE EIGHT
March 23-24, 26 (Tue., Wed., Fri.)
at St. Joseph, MO (St. Joseph Civic Arena)
(host Missouri Western State University)

DUNBAR POINTS OF INTEREST: Dunbar's three-year career point total of 1,243 ranks 10th among school leaders (needs 55 points to tie for ninth) and she is on pace to finish among Western's top three in that category. During her three-year career, Dunbar has made 192-of-479 3-pointers, 40.1 percent. The school career record for threes is 210 by Jodie Kaczor from 1998-2002. Earlier this season, Dunbar hit a school and GNAC record 10 straight treys.

THREE-DOT NOTES: Summers suffered a partial tear of the plantar fasciitis in her right foot in mid-January ... In their 104-54 victory at Alaska Fairbanks on Feb. 13, the Vikings reached the century mark for the first time since early in the 2006-07 season and just the second in seven years ... Western has played six top 25 teams this season, defeating No.18 Seattle Pacific, 54-40, on Jan. 23 and No.8 Alaska Anchorage, 78-58, on Jan. 9. Its only losses this season have been at No.14 UC San Diego, 89-82, on Jan. 29; No.8 Washburn, 72-70 in overtime, on Dec. 16; at No.17 Alaska Anchorage, 71-69, on Feb. 11; and at No.18 Seattle Pacific, 70-67, on Feb. 20 ... During their 10-game winning streak this season, the Vikings won every game by double figures ... Dunbar, Cabe, Pinske and Summers have all earned GNAC Player of the Week honors this season ... Summers leads Western in double-figure point games with 23, followed by Dunbar at 22 and Cabe at 21.

The Vikings' victory over Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 9 was their first against a top 10 team since they knocked off No.10 Cal Poly Pomona in the West Regional championship game of the NCAA II National Tournament on March 10, 2000 ... Summer's career-high 37-point performance against Washburn on Dec. 16, and Dunbar's 32-point effort versus Western Oregon on Jan. 14 and 31 points at Seattle Pacific on Feb. 20 are the three highest in the GNAC this season. Dunbar has had three career 30-point games, putting up 37 last season in an 88-79 loss at Northwest Nazarene ... Summers has been named to four tournament all-star teams this season, being MVP of three. Dunbar has been picked to three all-tourney teams and Cabe is a two-time all-tourney honoree.

Summers was named GNAC Player of the Week when she scored 65 points in back-to-back games at the Great Western Shootout on Dec. 16-17, the most in school history. Western's previous two-game best was 60 points by Jo Metzger early in the 1980-81 campaign when she scored 28 against Washington and 32 versus Idaho State ... Pinske saw action on the Canadian National Team in September, competing in an Olympic-qualifying tournament in Brazil ... Dunbar was the 2007-08 GNAC Freshman of the Year and a second-team league all-star in 2008-09 ... Summers was the GNAC co-Newcomer of the Year and a second-team all-league choice in 2008-09 ... Western won GNAC titles in 2002 and 2006.

HOME COURT DOMINANCE: The Vikings are 400-69 (85.3 percent) in their 38 seasons at Carver Gym.

COACH DOLFO: Carmen Dolfo is in her 19th year as head coach at Western. She has a 398-156 (71.8 percent) record and ranks No.14 among active NCAA II coaches in winning percentage and No.23 in victories. Dolfo's teams have reached post-season play 17 times and have won 20 or more games 14 times. She was named GNAC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2006, Northwest small college Coach of the Year in 2000 and Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996. Dolfo was the top Viking assistant for four seasons (95-28, 77.2) and earned All-America honors as a player at Western.

TRADITION OF SUCCESS: With 829 victories (291 losses) in its 39-year history, Western is one of just 10 colleges in all divisions of the NCAA to reach the 800-plateau... The Vikings have made 36 post-season appearances, including one stretch of 28 straight, with one national semifinal and three quarterfinal finishes ... They have made 10 West Regional appearances in their first 11 seasons as a NCAA II member, and also have had 28 20-win seasons ... Western has had 20 winning streaks of 10 or more games with its longest being 20 ... The Vikings have had 13 first, second or third-team All-Americans.

ON THE WEB: All Viking home games are being video streamed live and are available free at http://www.greatnorthwest.tv. For up-to-date statistics, box scores of every game, records, stories, etc., see the Western Athletics web page at www.wwuvikings.com. Up-to-date league standings and statistics can be found on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web page at www.gnacsports.com

RADIO BROADCASTS: Selected Western games are being broadcast this season on KBAI Radio (930 AM) with Doug Lange handling the play-by-play and Mark Scholten providing the color commentary. They also can be heard on the internet at www.wwuvikings.com.

PROBABLE WESTERN STARTERS & TOP RESERVES:

F Willow Cabe, 5-9, ***Sr., McCleary, WA/Elma
F Megan Pinske, 5-9, *Jr., Coquitlam, BC/Port Moody/UBC
C Jessica Summers, 6-1, *Sr., Blaine, WA/Blaine/Idaho
G Amanda Dunbar, 5-9, **Jr., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck
G Ashley Fenimore, 5-8, Sr.-TR, Lynnwood, WA/Meadowdale/CWU

C Lauren Hefflin, 6-2, **Jr., Ridgefield, WA/Ridgefield
F Krystal Robinson, 6-1, ***Sr., Kent, WA/Kentridge
F Erika Ramstead, 6-0, Fr., Everson/Nooksack Valley
G Corinn Waltrip, 5-6, Fr., Tigard, OR/Tigard
F Kristin Schramm, 5-9, *So., Chelan, WA/Chelan
*letters won