FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks volleyball team heads to Northwest Nazarene for a Thursday matchup and Central Washington for a Saturday matchup, their first GNAC road contests of 2026. 

Thursday, Sept. 17
at Northwest Nazarene | 5 p.m.
Nampa, Idaho | Johnson Sports Complex

Saturday, Sept. 19
at RV Central Washington | 12 p.m.
Ellensburg, Wash. | Nicholson Pavilion

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Last Time Out
Alaska opened up GNAC play at home last week, going 1-1. They opened up conference play with a sweep of Montana State Billings in front of 1100 students from the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. On Saturday, the Nanooks fell to Seattle Pacific in five sets.

AVCA Rankings
The Nanooks fell three spots in this week's poll, moving from 16 to 19. They remain the highest-ranked GNAC team. Simon Fraser is the only other GNAC team in the top 25, checking in at No. 21. Central Washington (79), Western Washington (70), and Alaska Anchorage (40) all received votes. 

#NookNotes

• Tessa Onaga continues to prove she's one of the best liberos in Division II with 5.49 digs per set, good for ninth in the nation. She also has 236 total digs, good for seventh in the nation. Both lead the GNAC.
• Peri Hoshock leads the way with 1.07 blocks per set and 44 total blocks. Her blocks per set ranks 38th in the NCAA DII and fifth in the GNAC. Her total blocks ranks 29th in the nation and second in the conference.
• Presley Engelauf has 43 total blocks; she ranks third in the conference and ranks 32nd in the NCAA DII. She is 10th in the conference with 0.98 blocks per set. 
• Haylee Lyons leads the Nanooks with 118 kills. That total ranks fourth in the conference. Cori Leavitt follows with 11, good for seventh in the GNAC.
• Cynphany Henderson's 6.35 assists per set is fifth in the GNAC. She ranks third in total assists with 254. 
• Alaska leads the GNAC in multiple team categories. They lead in digs per set (16.45), opponent hitting percentage (.125), team assists (512), team digs (724), team service aces (86), team attacks (1571), and team total blocks (93.5).

Meet the Opponents
Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (6-3, 0-2 GNAC)
Head Coach: Doug English
NNU opened the season 5-0 in California before dropping their first match on Sept. 4 to Nebraska-Kearney. Entering GNAC play, they were 6-1 but fell to Western Washington in five sets on Sept. 10 before being swept by Simon Fraser on Sept. 12. The Nanooks have won the last three matchups against Northwest Nazarene including a four-set win and sweep last season. 

Central Washington Wildcats (4-4, 0-2 GNAC)
Head Coach: Lauren Herseth
CWU hosted a season-opening tournament where they went 3-0, including upsetting Point Loma in three sets on Aug. 28. Central Washington has dropped their last three matches with just one set win. They fell to Simon Fraser in four sets to open GNAC play before getting swept at their in-state rivals Western Washington. The Nanooks and Wildcats split last season's matchups. Alaska won in Fairbanks in four sets before CWU earned a five-set win over the 'Nooks in Ellensburg, Wash. 

GNAC Standings
After one week of GNAC play, the Nanooks are sitting T-5th in the current GNAC volleyball standings. Three teams opened GNAC play 2-0 while one sits at 1-0. 

• Alaska Anchorage (9-3, 2-0 GNAC)
• Simon Fraser (5-3, 2-0 GNAC)
• Western Washington (5-3, 2-0 GNAC)
• Western Oregon (5-4, 1-0 GNAC)
• Alaska (9-3, 1-1 GNAC)
• Seattle Pacific (6-4, 1-1 GNAC)
• Saint Martin's (4-5, 0-1 GNAC)
• Northwest Nazarene (6-3, 0-2 GNAC)
• Central Washington (4-4, 0-2 GNAC)
• Montana State Billings (2-8, 0-2 GNAC)

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