FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team opens up their 2023 season on Thursday, Aug. 24, at home with the Hawaii-Alaska Challenge for a pair of matchups with Chaminade and Hawaii Hilo. The Nanooks will not play on Friday as the UAA Seawolves will face off against the pair of teams before a four-game slate on Saturday. The games will be played at Alaska Airlines Gymnasium at the Patty Center.

Where to Watch
All home games for the 2023 volleyball season will be found on the Alaska Nanooks YouTube page. All games will have live stats provided through Sidearm Stats. Links can be found below.

Watch Here
Live Stats

Thursday, August 24
Vs. Hawaii Hilo at 1:00 p.m.
Vs. Chaminade at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, August 25
UAA vs. Chaminade at 1:00 p.m.
UAA vs. Hawaii Hilo at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, August 26
UAA vs. Chaminade at 10:30 a.m.
Vs. Hawaii Hilo at 1:30 p.m.
UAA vs. Hawaii Hilo at 4:00 p.m.
Vs. Chaminade at 7:30 p.m.

Last Time Out
Friday afternoon will be the first Nanooks volleyball game in 285 days. The 2022 Nanooks season came to a close on Nov. 12, 2022, with a 3-2 win over the Western Oregon Wolves. A lot has changed since then, as the Nanooks lost a total of 5 faces from the 2022 squad. Alaska returns nine from the 2022 roster; Ella Bines, Kinley Erickson, Elena Guc, Kristina Head, Cynphany Henderson, Elizabeth Jackson, Karli Nielson, Ainsley Smith and Rilee White. 

Nielson played in 112 sets, starting in 26 of the 29 matches she saw time in. Nielson averaged 2.73 kills per set – the highest figure by an Alaska player since Lahra Weber notched 2.80 kills per set in 2019. Nielson made her presence felt all season long, picking up 306 kills with a .205 hit percentage to go along with her 2.73 kills per set. Nielson added 34 service aces as well, good for second on the Nanooks. Nielson added an additional 87 digs, with .78 digs per set. As well as 48 total blocks, 45 of which were assisted with three solos. 

White played in 115 of the Nanooks' 115 sets in the 2022 season and started 29 of the 30 matches she played in. She posted the second-most kills on the team with 282 (2.45/set) on a .161 swing percentage. She added 20 assists, 68 service aces, 245 digs (2.13/set) and 51 total blocks. 

The Nanooks went 18-12, 8-10 GNAC in 2022. These 18 wins tied the win record under head coach Brian Scott who is entering his ninth season as the Nanooks' head coach. 

GNAC Preseason Poll
Alaska was chosen to finish sixth-place, earning 55 points from voting coaches in the conference. Central Washington University was picked as the Preseason Champ, earning 100 points and all 10 first-place votes. No other team in the GNAC earned more than 90 points. Western Washington came in second, earning 85 points. Seattle Pacific came in third in the Preseason Poll with 72 points.

Simon Fraser came in fourth, receiving 71 points. Just ahead of Alaska, in the final top-five spot, was Alaska Anchorage, who earned 61 points from votes. Alaska settled for sixth with 55 points, edging out Northwest Nazarene by 17 points as the Nighthawks took seventh, with 38 points. Western Oregon took eighth, earning 35 points. Saint Martin's took ninth with 20 points and Montana State Billings rounded out the Preseason Poll with 13 points.

Team Stats
In 2022, the Nanooks ended eighth in the GNAC in hitting percentage, swinging .161 as a team, seventh in opponent hitting percentage, forcing opponents to swing .196, seventh in assists, averaging 10.80 per set, seventh in kills, averaging 11.71 per set, fourth in blocks with 2.41 per set, fifth in service aces, averaging 1.76 per set and finally, eighth in digs with 13.60 per set.

Preseason All-Conference Selection
Karli Nielson was selected to the GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team for the second consecutive year on Friday, Aug. 18. She was the lone Nanook selected to the list. Nielson averaged 2.73 kills per set – the highest figure by an Alaska player since Lahra Weber notched 2.80 kills per set in 2019. Nielson made her presence felt all season long, picking up 306 kills with a .205 hit percentage, along with her 2.73 kills per set in 2022. "It's great to see Karli recognized for her and her teammates' efforts to prepare for this season. Karli has put in extra effort this off-season to prepare for this fall and has great teammates pushing her to be at the top of her game. We can't wait to see what they accomplish this season," said head coach Brian Scott. 

A Look Ahead
Chaminade - Chaminade will face the Nanooks twice while they are in Fairbanks. Chaminade enters this year as the defending PacWest Champions, going 26-8, 19-1 PacWest, winning the title for the second consecutive year for the first time in program history. The Silverswords added their first-ever regional championship match after upsetting to-seeded UAA and 4th-seeded Cal Poly Pomona in the West Regional. They had eight team members finish with All-Pac West Honors. The Silverswords lost reigning PacWest player and setter of the year, Alexia Byrnes, and reigning Newcomer of the year, Sasha Colombo. The Silverswords have a familiar face, former Nanook Sophie Schilling, on their team. 

Hawaii Hilo - The Hawaii Hilo Vulcans had a turbulent 2022 season, going 4-22, 4-16 PacWest. Despite the record, their season came to an end after winning two of their last three matches. Hilo returns players from their 2022 squad, including seven seniors looking to leave their mark in their final year with the Vulcans.

History
vs. Chaminade ('90-22) All-Time Series: 11-17
Last Five: 1-4
Home: 4-6
Away: 7-9
Neutral: 0-2

vs. Hawaii Hilo ('81-'12) All-Time Series: 6-17
Last Five: 1-4
Home: 3-4
Away: 2-7
Neutral: 1-6

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.