GNAC champion Seawolves
With their 19th sweep of the season, the nationally ranked Seawolves secured a GNAC championship and broke Western Washington’s four-year stranglehold.
Palmer’s Eve Stephens and teammate Lisa Jaunet each had nine kills to lead a balanced attack as No. 5 UAA wrapped up the regular season with a 27-2 overall record and 17-1 mark in the NCAA Division II league.
Reilly Plumhoff of Anchorage served seven straight points to help UAA pull away midway through the second frame, but the Seawolves had to play come-from-behind in the third.
“That was not a pretty victory, but it’s certainly a great feeling to accomplish our goal of winning the GNAC outright, and we as coaches could not be prouder of this group,” Green said.
The GNAC title is UAA’s fourth under head coach Chris Green, who became bench boss in 2008.
In 20 years of the league, UAA and Western Washington have combined for 13 championships.
GNAC Champions
2022 Alaska Anchorage
2021 Western Washington
2019 Western Washington
2018 Western Washington
2017 Western Washington
2016 Alaska Anchorage
2015 Alaska Anchorage
2014 Northwest Nazarene
2013 Western Washington
2012 Western Washington
2011 Seattle Pacific
2010 Seattle Pacific
2009 Alaska Anchorage
2007 Western Oregon
2006 Seattle Pacific
2005 Central Washington
2004 Central Washington
2003 Western Washington
2002 Western Washington
2001 Western Washington
Senior setter Ellen Floyd added 23 assists and five kills. Stephens added six digs and four blocks.
Floyd and Stephens are among the country’s most productive players over their careers.
Floyd is the NCAA Division II active career leader in aces (212) and ranks No. 4 in assists (4,730).
Eve Stephens
Stephens, of Colony High fame, ranks No. 2 in kills (1,906), inching closer to No. 1 Hayley Kreiger of Davenport at 1,943.
Currently ranked No. 1 in the West Region, UAA will learn its opponent for this week’s NCAA West Regional Championships when the announcement of the national field is made today at 6:30 p.m. on ncaa.com.