In her 24 seasons at the helm of Western Washington University’s volleyball program, the 2023–24 Vikings are the youngest group head coach Diane Flick-Williams has led.
Flick-Williams, who crossed the historic 500-win milestone last season, and the Vikings are currently 1-9 overall after playing seven teams ranked top 20 or better in the nation.
Western earned its first win of the season in a five-set road match on Saturday, Sept. 16, against Northwest Nazarene following its 0-8 start to the year.
“We’re getting [experience via] trial by fire,” Flick-Williams said. “But it’s a good trial.”
Western, which graduated nine seniors at the end of last season, has 17 freshmen and sophomores on its roster out of 19 players. Of those 17, only five saw playing time a year ago and just three appeared in 25 or more sets for the team.
The Vikings’ current group simply has not seen much collegiate volleyball, and they are still working out the kinks, Flick-Williams said. Western entered the season ranked No. 15 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll, but have since dropped out of the rankings.
“It’s really easy to look at a concrete thing like a record of 1-9 and say things aren’t going well,” she said. “But the one thing we knew entering the season that we didn’t have, and we couldn’t teach and we couldn’t practice was experience. We had to just go out and get it.”
Sophomore pin hitter Gabby Kepley is the only player who saw significant time on the court last season. Kepley made 22 match starts, appeared in 93 sets and ranked fourth on the team in points (219), kills (188) and total blocks (57).
Current starter and redshirt freshman pin hitter Devyn Oestreich also contributed a season ago, appearing in 29 sets (13 matches) and finished the season with 64.5 points, 57 kills and 73 digs. Fellow redshirt freshman Abby May appeared in every set the team played in 2022–23, but as a serving sub, and she tied for the team lead with 33 aces.
Last year’s seniors commanded the majority of available playing time, and it benefited them. Western finished its season 21-6, reached the NCAA Division II West Regional tournament and was ranked No. 8 nationally before being eliminated in the first round.
“To be honest with you, I wouldn’t change anything we did last year, and I wouldn’t change anything we’re doing this year,” Flick-Williams said, noting the build-up of seniors was a result of players exercising extended eligibility during COVID-19.
Part of accruing experience is scheduling tough teams, Flick-Williams added.
The Vikings faced seven top-20, nationally-ranked opponents through its first 10 matches — all on the road.
“I’ve never been one in the history of coaching here to avoid any teams,” Flick-Williams said. “I want to play as tough a schedule as we possibly can, get as seasoned as we possibly can, and learn as much as we can in a very short period of time.”
Western’s group has improved incrementally with each match, she added, and the team’s biggest strength is their athleticism.
Oestreich currently leads the team in points this season with 107, while redshirt freshman Delaney Speer is second (87.5) and Kepley is third (61). Oestreich has also been a defensive mainstay with her team-leading 90 digs.
Once the on-court experience begins to add up and new leaders begin to emerge — another void left by departing seniors — the wins should follow.
“We have the pieces, we just have to learn how to be more consistent,” Flick-Williams said.
The Vikings will play their first home match of the season versus Alaska Anchorage (9-7) at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21 at Carver Gymnasium.
