MONMOUTH, Ore. --- The Western Oregon women's basketball team is off to its best start since 2001-02 and continues GNAC play this week at Western Washington and Simon Fraser.

THIS WEEK | LINKS TO WATCH
Western Oregon (7-3, 2-0) at Western Washington (10-3, 2-0)
3 p.m. Thursday • Bellingham, WA
All-Time: 10-60 •Streak: Lost 8
Last: 82-61 loss at WWU (Feb. 1, 2025)
Last WOU win: Jan. 2, 2020 (73-70 at WOU)

Western Oregon at Simon Fraser (7-6, 2-0)
2 p.m. Saturday•Burnaby, B.C.
All-Time: 6-21• Streak: Lost 1
Last: 83-68 loss at SFU (Jan. 30, 2025)
Last WOU win: Jan. 4, 2025 (67-64 at WOU) 


The teams heading in ...

• The Wolves are off to their best start to a season at 7-3 since starting the 2001-02 season 8-2. The Wolves are ranked in the top 10 in DII in scoring (83.5) and 3-pointers per game (9.6).
• Western Washington heads into 2026 10-3 on the season, including a 2-0 start to GNAC play. The Vikings are led by Olivia Hodges who is averaging 18.0 points and 13.1 rebounds per game (2nd in DII). She also leads DII in double-doubles with 10.
• Simon Fraser is 7-6 on the season as well as 2-0 in GNAC play. Rachel Loukes leads the Red Leafs in scoring (15.5) and assists (2.9) while also grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game. Bree Neufeld is also averaging double figures at 11.4 points per game as well as a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game.

  Last time out ...

• The Wolves picked up their fourth win in a row on Dec. 13 in their last official game - a 74-71 win at Cal Poly Humboldt. Kylani Rookstool led the way with 26 points and eight rebounds, going 5-for-6 from 3-point range. WOU played an exhibition game at Idaho on Dec. 20 in its last action.
• WWU last played Dec. 19-20 in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a 44-40 win over Eastern New Mexico before losing to New Mexico Highlands 71-68 in overtime. Hodges had 17 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to NMHU.
• SFU also last played Dec. 19-20 in Las Vegas, beating NMHU 69-68 and falling to Eastern New Mexico 74-71 in overtime. Bree Neufeld had 27 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the loss to ENMU.

WOU SEASON NOTES
Rookstool named GNAC Player of the Week (Dec. 15) ...
Western Oregon women's basketball's Kylani Rookstool was named the GNAC Athlete of the Week on Dec. 15 after a sharpshooting and efficient week for the junior.

Rookstool averaged 25.5 points and shot an eye-popping 83.3 percent from 3-point range (10-for-12) and 75 percent from the field (18-for-24) while averaging six rebounds per game in helping the Wolves go 2-0 and extend their win streak to four.

Rookstool capped off the week by going for 26 points and eight rebounds while shooting 8-for-12 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range in a win at Cal Poly Humboldt on Dec. 13. In a Dec. 10 win over Warner Pacific, she scored 25 points in just 21 minutes of action - going 10-for-12 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the lopsided win over the Knights.

Knocking off a ranked foe for the first time in 10 years ...
In WOU's 77-69 win on Dec. 6 over No. 16 Alaska Anchorage, it marked the first time the Wolves have defeated a ranked opponent since beating Seattle Pacific on Jan. 22, 2015. It broke a streak of 32-consecutive losses to ranked opponents.

Lighting up the scoreboard ...
The Wolves have come out on fire offensively as they are in the top 10 in DII and first in the GNAC in scoring at 83.5 points per game. This includes hitting the century mark for the first time in 15 years in a 104-77 win over Evergreen State on Nov. 22 in Monmouth. WOU followed that up by scoring 107 in a win over Warner Pacific on Dec. 10 - the most points in a game since 2001 when WOU scored 113 against Alaska Anchorage.

Sharpshooting Wolves ...
WOU has been connecting from distance as it is in the top 10 in DII and first in the GNAC in 3-pointers per game (9.6) and in 3-point percentage (37.9).

Wolves break 3-point record vs Evergreen State
WOU broke a 3-point school record and scored the most points in a game in 24 years in a 104-77 victory over Evergreen State on Nov. 22.

WOU hit a school-record 16 3-pointers - breaking the record of 15 set in 2017 - and the 104 points is the first time the Wolves have scored 100-plus since 2010 and is the most points since defeating Alaska Anchorage 113-51 in 2001.

Wolves named GNAC Team of the Week (Dec. 8)
The Western Oregon women's basketball team was named the GNAC Team of the Week on Dec. 8 after starting GNAC play 2-0 - capping it off with a win over No. 16 Alaska Anchorage, the team's first win over a ranked opponent since 2015.