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at Northwest Nazarene (7-17, 4-12 GNAC), 6 p.m. (PT)

Nampa, Iadaho | Johnson Sports Center

The Wolves are heading into the week after splitting their two home games last week, taking down MSU Billings 3-1 Thursday before dropping its match with Seattle Pacific Saturday 3-1. With WOU's win over the Yellowjackets Thursday, it reached 15 wins on the season - the fourth most for the program since 2000. Senior Madison Hornback was awarded GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after averaging 4.25 kills and a .329 hitting percentage in last week's games.  

Entering the final week of season play, the Wolves are fifth in the nation in aces per set at 2.50 and fourth in total aces at 255. Samanatha Darby leads the Wolves in both categories at 0.51 aces per set (third in GNAC, 44th in nation) and 52 total aces (first in GNAC, 25th in nation). Hornback is fourth in the conference in kills per set at 3.69 and third in total kills at 319, leading the Wolves in both.

Northwest Nazarene is heading into the week after dropping both road games last week. NNU lost to second-place Simon Fraser 3-1 Thursday before losing Saturday 3-2 to Western Washington. NNU is led in kills per set by Abby Black, who is seventh in the conference at 2.85 kill pert set. 

Central Washington - who is in first-place in the GNAC standings - is entering the week after beating Western Washington 3-2 Thursday in Bellingham before sweeping Simon Fraser 3-0 in Burnaby, B.C. CWU's Hannah Stires is leading the the GNAC in hitting percentage at .433, also fourth in the nation. Stires is also first in the GNAC and 11th in the nation in digs per set at 5.70.

ALL-TIME: 20-27

STREAK: Won 1

LAST WOU WIN: Sept. 21, 2024 – 3-2 in Monmouth, Oregon

LAST WOU LOSS: Oct. 26, 2023– 3-2 in Monmouth, Oregon

Hornback Named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 18)
WOU Senior Madison Hornback averaged 4.25 kills per set (34 kills in eight sets) and a .329 hitting percentage - helping the Wolves go 1-1 in her final home weekend as a Wolf. Her performance helped lead herto being named the GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, the third of her career and first on the season. Hornback in a win over Montana State Billings finished with 16 kills and just three errors on 38 attacks (.342 hitting percentage). On senior day, she had a team-high 18 kills and only four errors on 44 attacks (.318) to go along with two aces.

Record Aces: Wolves set new program NCAA-era record in single-season total team aces

With WOU's first aces against Alaska on Oct. 26 – served by sophomore setter Kealani Rosa – the Wolves set a new WOU NCAA-era record in total team aces. The previous record of 191 was set in 2004. Heading into Thursday, WOU has 221 aces, which is fourth in NCAA D-II. WOU also ranks sixth in D-II in aces per set at 2.43. Samantha Darby leads WOU with 46 aces - 20th in the nation and tied for the top spot in the GNAC.

Winning Wolves: WOU reaches best win total since 2012

With WOU's road win against Saint Martin's on Oct. 12, the Wolves have reached 11 wins on the season – the most wins for the program since they tallied 21 wins in 2012. It marks the third year in a row third-year coach Kaiao Nahale-a has improved the program's win total - going from nine wins in 2022, 10 in 2023 and now already 11 in 2024 - the most wins in 12 years for WOU.

Wolves break 21-match losing streak against Seawolves

In Western Oregon's 3-1 win over the Alaska Anchorage on Sept. 28, WOU breaks its 21-match losing streak against UAA that dates back to 2012. The last time the Wolves beat Seawolves was Oct. 20, 2012 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Rosa and Honma top career-highs on Alaska road trip

In WOU's 3-2 loss to Alaska on Sept. 26, redshirt-sophomore setter Kealani Rosa had a career-high 34 assists. Freshman outside hitter Maela Honma set her new career-high in kills at 17 in the Wolves 3-1 win over Alaska Anchorage on Sept. 28.

Wolves' aces with high national rankings with Asciutto leading the pack (Sept. 23)

Going into the week of Sept. 23, the wolves are ranked 10th in the nation in aces per set (2.51) and fourth in total aces (108). Chloe Asciutto leads the Wolves – and the GNAC – in aces per set at 0.67 (29 aces in 43 sets played), good for 13th in all of Division II. Her total 29 aces also top the GNAC rankings and rank fourth in the nation.

Hartsook named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week, Wolves named GNAC Team of the Week (Sept. 16)

WOU senior Bailee Hartsook was named the GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week by the conference on Sept. 16 after the senior averaged 3.07 kills per set in helping the Wolves go 3-1 at the Cougar Classic in San Marcos, California. The senior averaged 3.29 points per set and finished with 43 kills and a hitting percentage of .338. Hartsook, who missed the season-opening tournament in Hawaii for the Wolves last week, after easing into the first match Friday against Azusa Pacific was a force the rest of the weekend - racking up 14 kills in three sets against Cal State Monterey Bay, 12 kills in a three-set win over Westmont and 16 kills in a five-set loss to San Marcos. She helped the Wolves start the season 7-0 before Saturday's loss - the best undefeated start for WOU since starting 9-0 in 1998.

The Wolves were named the GNAC Team of the Week by the GNAC on Sept. 16 after going 3-1 at the Cougar Classic and starting the season 7-1 - their best start since starting 17-1 in 1999. 

Junior middle blocker Chloe Asciutto was named the Cougar Classic MVP on Sept. 14 after recording 13 aces, 28 kills and seven blocks. Fourth additional Wolves were named to the all-tournament team: seniors Bailee Hartsook and Madison Hornback, sophomore Kilinoelehua Helm and freshman Maela Honma. The team went 3-1 at the event.

The Western Oregon volleyball team started the season 4-0 for the second year in a row after sweeping play at the Hawai'i Fall Volleyball Challenge. Before last season, the Wolves hadn't started a season 4-0 since 1999. After the second weekend of play, the Wolves went 7-1, the team's best start since 1999 (when it started 17-1).

Western Oregon senior Madison Hornback was named to the GNAC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team when the conference released the team Monday. Hornback, from Oregon City, Oregon, led the conference in kills per set (3.56) in 2023 and was second in points per set (4.05) on her way to being named All-GNAC First Team. She was also named GNAC All-Academic (3.62 GPA). Hornback had a GNAC high for kills in a three-set match (23 - tied for 10th most in D-II in 2023) and five sets/overall (27) and was twice named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week.

The Western Oregon volleyball team was picked eighth in the 2024 GNAC preseason coaches' poll for 2024. WOU finished 4-14 in GNAC and 10-16 overall in 2023, good for ninth in conference standings. The Wolves in coach Kaiao Nahale'a's second season had their best start in program history since 1999, going 4-0 in the opening weekend of play and swept the 2023 Stanislaus State Tournament, while the 10 wins was the most for the program since 2016.

2024 GNAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Rank	Team (1st Place Votes)	Points
1	Central Washington (2)	91
2	Seattle Pacific (6)	90
3	Western Washington	75
4	Simon Fraser (2)	74
5	Alaska Anchorage	59
6	Alaska Fairbanks	49
7	Northwest Nazarene	38
8	Western Oregon	33
9	Saint Martin's	29
10	Montana State Billings	12