By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – After taking care of business at the 2026 GNAC Softball Championships last week, Western Washington will represent the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at the upcoming NCAA West Region Championships.
 
The Vikings overcame an early defeat in the conference tournament, rallying to beat Simon Fraser twice on Saturday to claim their third consecutive GNAC Championships trophy and their fifth overall. WWU was selected for the NCAA regional tournament on Monday morning, and was named the Athletic Solutions GNAC Team of the Week.
 
Western Washington will enter the regional round at 34-20 overall on the season, after going 16-8 in conference contests to place second in the regular-season standings. Entering the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed, WWU topped Northwest Nazarene 11-2 before falling 9-5 at the hands of Simon Fraser. It then took three consecutive wins for the Vikings to complete their third-straight championship, as they knocked off Saint Martin’s 12-4 before the doubleheader sweep of Simon Fraser.
 
WWU will open its regional tournament against host and No. 1 seed Cal State East Bay, with the opening game scheduled for noon (Pacific) on Thursday in Hayward, Calif. WWU is the two-time defending NCAA Super Regional champion, having represented the conference in each of the last two NCAA Division II College World Series.
 
Read More: 2026 GNAC Softball Championships Recap
 
GNAC Team of the Week presented by Athletic Solutions
Athletic Solutions was introduced as an official partner of the GNAC on Dec. 8, 2025 and it will sponsor the GNAC Team of the Week award. Athletic Solutions is a national leader in NIL fan engagement and e-commerce technology, collaborating with colleges and universities to bring NIL Locker Rooms to life. Its platform simplifies NIL opportunities, providing student-athletes with the tools and exposure needed to thrive in the evolving landscape of college athletics.