PORTLAND, Ore. - The Nanooks women's basketball team was selected 10th in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. The Nanooks received 17 points after finishing 10th a year ago and going 4-21, 1-17 GNAC.
Head coach
Amy Donovan returns for her second season after taking over a season ago. She welcomes a new assistant coach in
Perry Michael for the 2023-24 season and looks to build on her first season. Alaska is welcoming back seven returners, including four starters.
Emma McKenney, the Nanooks' leading-scorer from a year ago, returns to the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center after averaging 12.8 points while posting a 44.6% shooting clip from the field.
Ellen Silva also returns for her junior season; she led Alaska with 7.7 rebounds per game. Also returning from the starting five is
Kayla Johnson and
Destiny Reimers. Donovan welcomes a trio of transfers in
Taryn Lindsey,
Tristian Martin and
Lily Stewart while bringing in
Ekko Hopkins,
Anna Nevison and
Halle Waram for the incoming freshmen.
Montana State Billings was selected to win the GNAC this season, receiving 94 points and five of the 10 first-place votes. They edged out Western Washington by three points as WWU received 91 points and received four first-place votes. Alaska Anchorage took third and received the only other first-place vote. They did not crack 80 points, receiving 75 points for third. Simon Fraser followed in fourth with 68 points, beating Central Washington who received 66 points. Seattle Pacific took sixth and was the final GNAC school with over 50 points, getting 51. Northwest Nazarene took seventh with 42 points, Saint Martin's took eighth with 27 points and Western Oregon beat Alaska out for ninth with 19 points.
| Rank |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
2022-23 |
GNAC Record (Finish) |
Points |
| 1. |
Montana State Billings (5) |
25-8 |
14-4 (2nd) |
94 |
| 2. |
Western Washington (4) |
24-4 |
16-2 (1st) |
91 |
| 3. |
Alaska Anchorage (1) |
18-10 |
10-8 (4th) |
75 |
| 4. |
Simon Fraser |
10-13 |
8-10 (6th) |
68 |
| 5. |
Central Washington |
21-9 |
12-6 (3rd) |
66 |
| 6. |
Seattle Pacific |
15-13 |
9-9 (5th) |
51 |
| 7. |
Northwest Nazarene |
11-15 |
7-11 (T7th) |
42 |
| 8. |
Saint Martin's |
10-16 |
6-12 (9th) |
27 |
| 9. |
Western Oregon |
13-13 |
7-11 (T7th) |
19 |
| 10. |
Alaska |
4-21 |
1-17 (10th) |
17 |
The Nanooks officially kick their season off on the road at the NCAA DII Canadian Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 3-5 at Simon Fraser University.
2023-24 Schedule
2023-24 Roster
Tickets
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