FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team officially kicks off the 2018 season with three non-conference matches this weekend. The Nooks are set to travel to Anchorage to take part in the University of Alaska Anchorage Invitational on Friday, Aug. 24 and Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Alaska Airlines Center.
It's About That Time
With the temperatures cooling down in Fairbanks, only one thing can be sure – it's the beginning of another bright season for the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team. Under the tutelage of fourth-year head coach
Brian Scott and assistant coach Robbie Berrett, the Nanooks will look to keep the momentum moving forward after a successful 2017 season.
Where to Watch & Listen
If fans aren't able to make this weekend's games in Anchorage, each of the Nanooks' three games will be broadcasted live through the Alaska Nanooks and UAA Seawolves' Stretch Internet Portal in the link posted above. Fans have the option to watch the stream, follow the live stats or both.
Tournament Breakdown
With UAF and UAA not facing one another this weekend, the UAA Invitational will not have an official champion due to the lack of a true round-robin format. Despite that, there will be an all-tournament team and a Most Outstanding Player awarded at the conclusion of Saturday's UAA and Michigan Tech match.
GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll
The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team was picked to finish seventh in the 2018 GNAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll, which was released by the conference on Aug. 17. The Nanooks earned 49 points in the poll to rank seventh, three spots higher from where they were predicted to finish in the same poll in 2017. The votes are awarded on an 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale, with this being the third year head coaches were allowed to vote for their own teams.
Wong Named to Preseason All-GNAC Team
On Aug. 15, junior middle blocker
Kim Wong was named to the Preseason All-GNAC Team. Wong became the first Alaska player to earn a preseason honor under Scott. Wong was named an All-GNAC Honorable Mention for the Nanooks following the 2017 season, marking her second conference honor. Last year, Wong appeared in 29 matches and closed out the 2017 season by ranking sixth in the GNAC in hitting percentage with an impressive .306. The Spokane, Washington native also tallied 172 kills last season, averaging 1.62 kills per set. Furthermore, Wong ranked second among her teammates in blocking, averaging 0.53 blocks per set by registering 11 solo blocks and 45 block assists for a total of 56 throughout the season.
Familiar & Fresh Faces
The Nanooks hold a 14-person roster for the 2017 season, including eight returners and six newcomers. Alaska will look to redshirt-sophomores
Tatum Upchurch and
Markie Miller, as well as sophomores
Lahra Weber and
Cate Whiting and junior
Kim Wong.
The newcomers include five freshman in
Mallory Bradford,
Zoey Keene,
Makena Overbey,
Taylor Overn and
Beaudine Verweij, as well as junior transfer
Mica Shenglan.
The Last Frontier
With the addition of freshman
Zoey Keene (Anchorage) and
Mallory Bradford (Palmer), the Nanooks now boast five Alaskans on the 2018 roster. Keene and Bradford join
Sarina Mancari (Anchorage),
Emily Moorhead (Chugiak) and
Tatum Upchurch (Anchorage). Alaska and Alaska Anchorage tie for having the most Alaskans on their roster throughout the GNAC.
All-Time Series
This will be the third time in program history the Nanooks take on Michigan Tech, who's hockey team belongs to the same conference as UAF in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The Nanooks and the Huskies first faced one another on Sept. 8, 1998 with a three-set sweep at home before defeating them once again 3-1 on Sept. 9, 1998 for an all-time record of 2-0 against MTU. Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan.
Alaska is currently 10-5 all-time against Western New Mexico, with the first meeting between the two teams coming as a 0-3 loss for the Nanooks on Oct. 4, 1990. Since then the two teams have met numerous times throughout the 1990's and are currently riding a two-game winning streak against WNMU. The last meeting resulted in a 3-1 victory for Alaska at home on Oct. 23, 2000. Western New Mexico is located in Silver City, New Mexico.
Saturday's game against Barton will be the first time in program history that either of the two teams have met. Barton College is located in Wilson, North Carolina.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.
