Western Washington University women’s basketball is opening the season with numerous questions following the departure of six impact players from last season.
The Vikings (24-4, 16-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference last season) are coming off back-to-back runs at the NCAA Division II tournament and 49 combined wins over the past two seasons.
Western will open the regular season on Friday, Nov. 10, and begin its schedule by playing four teams that were nationally ranked a year ago.
The team lost three starters from last season, and perhaps none more important than two-time GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Avery Dykstra — the older sister of returning starter Riley Dykstra.
Other graduating starters include forward Katrina Gimmaka — a former Nooksack Valley High School standout — and guard Mollie Olson. Center Truitt Reilly and guards Marsani Cannon and Kaimyla Nolen all transferred.
Reilly, who had a breakout season as a sophomore last year, appeared in all 28 games for the Vikings and averaged 7.2 points and 7.0 rebounds before transferring to California State University San Marcos after the season.
All told, Western is returning seven players from last season’s roster of 15.
Under head coach Carmen Dolfo, the Vikings have been great defensively. They finished last season ranked first in the conference in scoring margin (+15.4), first in blocked shots (164) and first in field goal percentage allowed (35%).
“It is an emphasis of ours,” Dolfo said. “I think everybody is trying to be committed to defense.”
Dolfo said with a new team, it will be a process to get back to the level of defense they want to play at.
Riley Dykstra said the loss of her older sister was hard for her and the team but believes another returner can pick up the slack on defense.
“Maddy Grandbois was a great defender for us last year,” Riley said, “and I think she will take part in a more defensive role.”
Another Dykstra and cousin of Riley’s joins Western this season. Demi Dykstra, retaining a two-tone blue uniform, graduated from Lynden Christian High School in June, where she won two 1A state championships with the Lyncs and was a two-time All-Northwest Conference first team selection.
Division I transfer Aspen Garrison, daughter of coach Dolfo, is another key addition to the team. Garrison moved back to Bellingham after two seasons at Saint Mary’s College of California where she averaged 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 62 career games. The Sehome alum was an All-Northwest Conference first team selection as a junior in 2019.
The addition of Garrison allows Western to play two dominant post players on the floor together.
“I think that’ll make us a huge threat, which is super exciting,” Garrison said about playing with Brooke Walling, a unanimous GNAC first team selection.
Walling is coming off a year where she finished top-10 in the conference in almost every statistical category. The 6-foot-3 senior posted team-high, per-game averages in points (13.6), rebounds (9.2), assists (3.3) steals (1.5) and blocks (1.8), and she approached this offseason wanting to get even better for her final year, Walling said.
“I stayed in Bellingham this offseason and we all lifted together and ran together,” Walling said. “We played open gyms when we could. It was really good to do that all together and get better as a team.”
The team played its first exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 21, a six-point road victory over the University of Puget Sound. Riley said it was a great opportunity for the team to get into the flow of playing together. Plus, Dolfo has created a team-first philosophy.
“Some players can certainly dominate for us, but I think they really believe that how we’ll be great is as a team,” Dolfo said.
Dykstra, Walling and Garrison all said the most important thing is doing whatever they can to help the team win.
Western has two more preseason games on the docket before the regular season begins, and the Vikings will host Bushnell University for the first of those two at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26.
