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Nov. 16, 2011

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - After splitting its first two regular-season games, the Western Washington University women's basketball team competes against a strong Alumni squad Saturday (5 p.m.) at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.

The Vikings are 1-1 after defeating host San Francisco State, 64-50, and losing to nationally No.13-ranked UC San Diego, 79-60, last weekend at the California Collegiate Athletic Association/Great Northwest Athletic Conference Shootout.

Following the Alumni contest, WWU hosts the 15th annual Lynda Goodrich Classic, entertaining Simpson University CA on Friday, Nov. 25 (7 p.m.) and Northwest University on Saturday, Nov. 26 (7 p.m.).

WWU senior point guard Corinn Waltrip, who scored a game-high 17 points in the win over San Francisco State, was an all-tournament selection at the CCAA/GNAC Shootout. She averaged 13.0 points, also having nine assists and eight rebounds in the two contests.

Redshirt freshman Katie Colard came off the bench to score a team-high 14 points for the Vikings in the loss to UC San Diego. She averaged 8.5 points and shot 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from three-point range.

Junior forward Erika Ramstead grabbed a team-high 18 rebounds (9.0 avg.) at the tourney.

Alumni: Leading the former Vikings will be three starters from last year's 26-4 team that won the regular-season GNAC title and reached the NCAA II West Regional. They are guard Amanda Dunbar, center Lauren Hefflin and forward Gabby Wade. Also participating will be guard Samantha (Hubbard) Banks, center Courtney Clapp, forward Tina Donahue, guard Kelly (Colard) Dykstra, guard Ashley Fenimore, forward Liz McCarrell, center Claire Pallansch, center Krystal Robinson and Stacey (Miller) Turrell.

Simpson: The Redhawks, affiliated nationally with the NAIA, are 2-3 (at Corban on Nov. 18, at Northwest Christian on Nov. 19 and host Concordia OR on Nov. 21). Leading Simpson, coached by Derrick Pringle, Jr. (2nd year), are 5-9 senior forward Bekah Eppler (18.3 ppg), 5-6 junior guard Tempest Dawson (13.7 ppg) and 5-6 junior guard Ariassa Wilson (10.5 ppg, 5.2 apg). First meeting.

Northwest: The Eagles, affiliated nationally with the NAIA, are 1-3 (at George Fox on Nov. 19, host Whitman on Nov. 23 and vs. Saint Martin's on Nov. 25). Back from last year's 18-10 team for coach Lori Napier (7th year) are 6-0 senior center Jessalyn Jackson, who was a Cascade Conference all-star last season, averaging 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds; and 5-10 junior guard Emily Drivstuen. Jackson, who scored 31 points in a loss to Puget Sound, entered the season with career totals of 862 points, 572 rebounds and 195 blocks. Last season, she ranked seventh nationally in blocks with 76. A top newcomer is 5-6 junior guard Carol Howard, a transfer from Highline CC. WWU leads series, 6-0.

SISTER ACT: Three members of this year's WWU squad have sisters who were former Viking standouts. They are Katie Colard (Kelly), Sarah Hill (Celeste) and Kristin Schramm (Sarah). Celeste Hill was a first-team NCAA II All-American in 2000 and is a member of the school's All-Century team. Kelly (Colard) Dykstra was a second-team GNAC all-star as a senior in 2005-06, averaging 12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Sarah Schramm averaged 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds for WWU in 2007-08, and 4.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 2006-07 after transferring from NCAA I Gonzaga.

VIKINGS FOURTH IN GNAC COACHES POLL: WWU was voted fourth in the GNAC coaches preseason poll. Alaska Anchorage, looking for its third straight title, received nine of 10 first-place votes in being selected No.1. Seattle Pacific, which has won eight league crowns, was picked second, followed by Northwest Nazarene.

POST-SEASON: This year, the GNAC championship will be decided with a six-team tournament at Saint Martin's University (Marcus Pavilion) beginning Thursday, March 1. The No. 1 and No. 2 regular-season finishers will earn first round byes and play Thursday's winners in semifinal action Friday, March 2. The championship game will be Saturday, March 3. Alaska Anchorage won the first GNAC tourney last year, when it consisted of eight teams and games were played at the highest seed.

HOME COURT DOMINANCE: The Vikings are 413-70 (85.5 percent) in 39 seasons at Carver Gym. Their longest home court win streak was 29 from 1983 to 1986.

COACH DOLFO: Carmen Dolfo is in her 21st year as head coach at WWU. She has a 425-162 (72.4 percent) record and prior to the season ranked No.12 among active NCAA II coaches in winning percentage and No.18 in victories. Dolfo's teams have reached post-season play 19 times and have won 20 or more games 15 times. She has been named GNAC Coach of the Year in 2004, 2006 and 2011; 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 WWU.

TRADITION OF SUCCESS: With 857 victories (297 losses, 74.3 percent) in its 40-year history, WWU is one of just 15 colleges in all divisions of the NCAA to reach the 850-plateau... The Vikings have made 39 post-season appearances, including one stretch of 28 straight, with one national semifinal and three quarterfinal finishes ... They have made 12 West Regional appearances in their 13 seasons as a NCAA II member, and also have had 29 20-win seasons ... WWU has had 21 winning streaks of 10 or more games with its longest being 21 ... Former WWU coach Lynda Goodrich, now the Vikings' director of athletics, is a member of the NAIA National Hall of Fame. She coached WWU for 19 seasons, winning more than 400 games (411-127, 76.4 percent). Another Viking NAIA Hall of Famer is forward Jo Metzger (1977-81), who earned first-team All-America honors in 1980 and 1981 ... WWU has had 13 first, second or third-team All-Americans.

CARVER GYM CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY: Dedicated on March 30, 1962, WWU's Sam Carver Gymnasium is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. It is named for Sanford E. Carver, a NAIA Hall of Famer who was Western's first director of athletics and the chairman of the physical education department from 1914-55. Carver Gym was an addition to the existing physical education facility. It added 54,233 square feet of floor space at a cost of $1.04 million. The most significant addition was the present main gymnasium. The facility opened in time for the 1961-62 basketball season, although it wasn't named for Carver until the dedication ceremony the following spring. Dr. James L. Jarrett, then Western's president, and Dr. E.V. Pullias, a professor at the University of Southern California, were the main speakers at the gathering. Basketball has been one of the primary activities at Carver Gym. The Seattle Pacific men were Western's opponent in the first game played on the new floor on Dec. 6, 1961. The Viking women have racked up an impressive record during their time in the building, going 413-70 (.855) in 39 years.

COLLEGIATE FIRST FOR WWU: Last season, WWU became the first college in the country to boast two 400-win women's basketball coaches. Lynda Goodrich, now in her 25th year as the Vikings' director of athletics, posted 411 victories from 1971 to 1990, and current coach Carmen Dolfo is in her 21st season with 425.

ON THE WEB: All Viking home games are being video streamed live and are available free at http://wwu.nmtvsports.com. For up-to-date statistics, box scores of every game, records, stories, etc., see the WWU 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 WWU 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 Kristin Schramm, 5-9, ***Sr., Chelan, WA/Chelan
F Erika Ramstead, 6-0, **Jr., Everson, WA/Nooksack Valley
C Britt Harris, 6-2, **Jr., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck
G Erin Feeney, 5-8, R-Fr., Bothell, WA/Jackson
G Corinn Waltrip, 5-6, **Jr., Tigard, OR/Tigard

F Sydney Donaldson, 6-0, Fr., Edmonds, WA/Edmonds-Woodway
C Sarah Hill, 6-3, So., TR, Richmond, VA/Lloyd C. Bird/
  Maryland-Baltimore County
G Katie Colard, 5-9, R-Fr., McCleary, WA/Elma
G Trishi Williams, 5-9, JC-Jr., Mabton, WA/Mabton/Columbia Basin CC
C Kayla Bernsen, 6-3, Fr., Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake
G Jenni White, 5-5, R-Fr., Spokane, WA/East Valley
*letters won

RECENT GAME SUMMARIES:

Nov. 11 - WWU 64, San Francisco State 50 at CCAA/GNAC Shootout (San Francisco, CA) Point guard Corinn Waltrip scored a game-high 17 points and forward Kristin Schramm had 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds as WWU defeated host San Francisco State University, 64-50, in first-day action at the CCAA/GNAC Shootout at the SFSU Gymnasium. It was the season opener for both schools. SFSU was led by the 14 points of reserve Candyce Matthews. WWU trailed by eight, 10-2, just over three minutes into the game and was still behind by six, 23-17, with 3:20 left in the first period. But the Vikings finished the half with a 10-4 run for a 27-27 tie at the intermission and opened the second half with a 13-2 run for a 40-29 lead with just under 16 minutes remaining in the contest. SFSU never got closer than five after that and the Vikings' biggest lead was the final score. Waltrip, the only returning starter from last year's 26-4 team, scored 10 points during the two key WWU runs. She was 6-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-6 from three-point range, grabbing six rebounds and handing out four assists. Erika Ramstead grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, and Erin Feeney scored nine points, hitting 3-of-7 treys.

Nov. 12 - UC San Diego 79, WWU 60 at CCAA/GNAC Shootout (Hayward, CA)

WWU led nationally ranked UC San Diego by seven points with less than six minutes left in the first half, but fell 79-60 in final-day action at the CCAA/GNAC Shootout. The Vikings were led by the 14 points of Katie Colard, who made 4-of-8 three-pointers. UCSD, ranked No.13 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 and picked to win the CCAA title in the preseason coaches poll, won the tournament as it improved to 2-0. The Tritons got a game-high 27 points, five assists and five steals from All-America point guard Chelsea Carlisle, and 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals from guard Emily Osga. Osga, who had 16 points in the first half, was 9-of-12 from the field; and Carlisle, who scored 16 in the second half, was 11-of-18. WWU scored the first five points of the game and led 25-18 with 7:38 left in the first half. UCSD outscored the Vikings 22-5 over the rest of the period, Osga hitting a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Tritons a 40-29 halftime lead. UCSD upped its lead to 18, 54-36, with 12:50 remaining in the game. The closest the Vikings got after that was 10 twice midway through the final period and the Tritons' biggest lead of 19 was the final score. WWU's Corinn Waltrip had nine points and five assists against UCSD. Erika Ramstead grabbed nine rebounds for the Vikings.