The road to the GNAC volleyball title will go through the state of Alaska this year. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
A year after the Nanooks and Seawolves tied for the GNAC regular-season title, both Alaska college volleyball teams are expected to make another playoff run this year.
The GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll was released on Tuesday, and Simon Fraser claimed the top spot by a eye lash over Central Washington, followed by UAF in third and UAA fifth.
The top three teams and the Seawolves tied for GNAC crown last season in the closest conference title race in the league’s quarter-century history. It was UAF’s first title and UAA’s fifth.
The GNAC looks to be just as competitive this year, with the top three teams separated by just six points in the preseason poll. The Seawolves were a distant fifth – yet overlook them at your own peril because a year ago they were also picked fifth and finished in a tie for first.
College Volleyball
Alaska/Hawaii Challenge
At Hilo, Hawaii
Thursday
UAA vs. Chaminade
UAA vs. Hawaii Hilo
UAF vs. Hawaii Pacific
Friday
UAF vs. Chaminade
UAF vs. Hawaii Hilo
UAA vs. Hawaii Pacific
Saturday
UAA vs. TBD
UAF vs. TBD
Recently inducted Seawolf Hall of Famer Morgan Hooe of Anchorage will begin her first season as bench boss after previously serving as an assistant coach. An iconic player a decade ago, Hooe took over for Stacie Meisner, who is now at Metro State in Denver.
A former two-time All-American setter and GNAC Player of the Year out of South High, Hooe was part of four straight NCAA Tournament squads from 2013 to 2016 and led the Seawolves to the national championship match as a senior.
She inherits a team that welcomes back All-GNAC hitter Lee Ivanika, who posted double-doubles in 15 of 29 matches, including 19 kills and 16 digs in a win at No. 7 Simon Fraser, and 25 kills and 10 digs in the victory over No. 14 Western Washington.
UAA also returns Bella Burney, a consistent force at net (ripping at least five kills in all but two matches last year) and in the rotation (playing in 88 out of a possible 89 matches in her three seasons). Burney needs 20 kills to reach 500 for her career.
UAA’s Bella Burney blasts a ball off the block. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Seawolves return a bevy of players, most notably Martina Riba, Emma Beck, Hannah Trotter, Elena Hansen and Trinity Byrne. Beck is one of five locals on the team. The former Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year out of Kenai started 25 of 27 matches and led all GNAC freshmen with .224 attack percentage.
Riba started every match last year and ranked fifth in the GNAC with 1.14 blocks per set. Trotter was fifth in the GNAC with 7.09 assists per set.
Among the newcomers for UAA are a pair of players with NCAA Division I experience in transfers Kyana Gabriel and Mary Nahinu. Gabriel suited up for Tennessee Tech’s beach team last year, while Nahinu was the primary libero at Norfolk State, racking up 3.81 digs per set as a freshman.
Other locals are Anchorage’s Eleasha Sapon and Indy Kmet, Unalaska’s Ula Leaoa and Kenai’s Sophie Tapley. Incoming freshman Patri Ferran of Spain played a season for Service High School as a foreign exchange student.
Ferran’s former high school coach, Austin Osborne, is now an assistant for the Seawolves.
UAA Seawolves
| PLAYER | HGT | HOMETOWN |
| Martina Riba | 6-0 | Llagosetera, Spain |
| Ula Leaoa | 6-0 | Unalaska |
| Lauren Hutchison | 5-11 | Gig Harbor, Wash. |
| Anna McWhorter | 5-8 | Monmument, Colo. |
| Kyana Gabriel | 5-11 | Hilo, Hawaii |
| Elena Hansen | 5-9 | Murfreesboro, Tenn. |
| Hannah Trotter | 5-9 | Wauwatosa, Wisc. |
| Eleasha Sapon | 5-1 | Anchorage |
| Sophie Tapley | 5-8 | Kenai |
| Mary Nahinu | 5-5 | N. Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Trinity Byrne | 5-11 | Post Falls, Idaho |
| Indy Kmet | 6-1 | Anchorage |
| Bella Burney | 6-0 | Tumwater, Wash. |
| Patri Ferran | 6-0 | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Alex Gonzalez-Orozco | 5-5 | Gering, Neb. |
| Rachael Reyes | 5-8 | Northridge, Calif. |
| Emma Beck | 5-11 | Kenai |
| Lee Ivakina | 6-0 | Varna, Bulgaria |
Head Coach: Morgan Hooe
Assistants: Austin Osborne, Tia Allen, AveRee Reynolds
UAF coach Brian Scott is knocking on the door of 150 wins with the Nanooks. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Nanooks racked up four wins over ranked teams, including a sweep over No. 24 UAA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Fairbanks went on to lose to No. 9 Point Loma in the second round.
UAF is coached by Brian Scott, who is coming off a 24-6 season, his best showing in 11 seasons on campus.
He needs seven wins to reach 150 for his career.
The Nanooks return All-GNAC libero Tessa Onaga, who ranked fourth in the league with 4.46 digs per set.
Also back is Cynphany Henderson – who ranked 10th in assists (5.58), 17th in digs (3.12) and 20th in attack percentage (.224) – and Peri Hoshock – who was sixth in blocks (1.13) and 11th in attack percentage (.252)
The team includes three locals in Ruby Tansy of Fairbanks, McKenna Smith of North Pole and Alyvia Davis of Wasilla.
