Viking Voices

Hear from WWU Men's Basketball Head Coach Tony Dominguez following the Blue-White Scrimmage held October 17, 2021 inside Carver Gym. The preseason opener marked the first time WWU has played a game in a real setting since February 2020. WWU opens the 2021-22 season November 12-13 in Carson, California with the CCAA/GNAC Challenge. 

Hear from WWU Men's Soccer junior captain Teagan Eldridge as he talks about the Vikings 2020/21 season opener on Saturday, March 27 hosting the University of Puget Sound on Harrington Field (7 pm kickoff). Eldridge talks about the rapid rise of the Western program, which has resulted in a pair of NCAA championships appearances over the last four seasons (2016 & 2019) and the 2019 GNAC championship. 

Hear from WWU Track & Field senior javelin thrower Hannah Nienaber talking about her season-opening performance at the Doris Heritage Track Festival that resulted in an NCAA II provisional qualifying mark and earned her Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Senior WWU Track & Field distance runner Calahan Warren is interviewed after making his Viking debut and recording the 2nd-fastest time in program history winning the 5000m at the Doris Heritage Track Festival in 14:16.17. The mark was also the 6th-fastest in GNAC history. The Auburndale, Florida native is a transfer from Embry-Riddle University.

In Episode 20 of Viking Voices, we continue the month of content celebrating Black History Month in February. We got the chance to interview current Track & Field student-athlete (and school record-holder) Myles Smith, touching on a number of topics in the hour-long interview. Myles is a passionate leader on campus and in the community as an advocate for diversity and equity and supporting BIPOC students. Myles is also a writer and poet, and share with us a passionate poem about Black Lives Matter and discusses what Black History Month means to him and his family. Enjoy the podcast with a very special WWU student-athlete! Video interview with Myles Smith on YouTube (with closed captions)

In Episode 19 of Viking Voices, we continue the month of content celebrating Black History Month in February. Former WWU women's basketball player Kiana Gandy joins the podcast to talk about her career with the Vikings (which included over 1,000 points), what valuable life skills she learned under coaches Carmen Dolfo and Stacey Turrell, and talks about what Black History Month means to her and how her family plays a valuable role in that history. Kiana recently completed her Master's in Clinical Mental Health and works to support children experiencing adjustment disorders and trauma. She also owns her own company - Headscarves & Healing - a mental wellness community centered on Black millennial's self-directed healing and growth. Enjoy the podcast with this Viking legend! Video interview with Kiana Gandy on YouTube  

In Episode 18 of Viking Voices, we start a month of content celebrating Black History Month. Former WWU men's basketball star and current Long Beach Poly High School head coach Shelton Diggs joins the podcast to talk about a number of topics. From his playing days in Bellingham as a young black man, to jump-starting his coaching career under Brad Jackson and Tony Dominguez, and a lot about what Black History Month means to him. The common theme with Shelton that he has carried throughout his career is treating people with kindness and he carries that into his mentorship as a coach. Enjoy the podcast with this Viking legend! **We apologize for some of the sound quality...as we are all doing our best during the remote technology setups**

Hear from WWU Faculty Athletic Representative Bruce Larson in Episode 17 of Viking Voices. With over 25 years of experience at Western a professor, Larson is in his third term as WWU's FAR, which helps bridge the gap between Athletics and Campus. Bruce touches on his love of college athletics, his role at Western and even a little about his favorite dessert (anything lemon) and a great campus tradition he has.

WWU Football alum and NFL veteran Matt Overton is the guest for Episode 16 of Viking Voices. Overton is the current long snapper for the AFC South Champion Tennessee Titans and will play in his 110th career NFL game this weekend in an AFC Wild Card showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. The Viking from 2005-06 talks about his career in the NFL, snapping for the game-winning field goal vs. the Houston Texans and shares memories of his time in Bellingham.

WWU Athletics Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Damien Fisher is the guest for Episode 15 of Viking Voices. Hear from Damien as he talks about being a two-sport athlete as a Viking (basketball and track & field), what it is like to work with student-athletes as they accomplish strength and conditioning goals, his background as a Highland Games participant and even a little about his wonderful family and what he likes to cook!

WWU women's soccer standout Emily Webster (2014-17) joined Viking Voices to talk about her career as a Viking, including lots about the 2016 national championship season and her free kick game-winning goal in the title game. Webster is a Bellingham native and Sehome High School graduate that never left town, and is now a PE teacher at Columbia Elementary. You'll learn about what a perfect Sunday for Webster would look like, in addition to her favorite quote and how much the WWU coaching staff meant to her development as a student-athlete.

Longtime Western Washington University Track & Field and Cross Country head coach Pee Wee Halsell visited with Viking Voices talking about his 34 years as head coach of the Vikings, sharing many stories about top performances and all the great student-athletes and coaches has has been associated. You'll want to give this interview a listen to hear from one of the legends of Carver Gym, who has impacted so many student-athletes both on the course, track and throughout life.

Episode 12 of the Viking Voices Podcast features a roundtable discussion with players over the last 20 years of the WWU Volleyball program. Head Coach Diane Flick-Williams is joined by seven players from various eras of her 21-year coaching career that started in 2000. Former Vikings that share stories and great memories as players include Donja Walker, Katie (Robinson) Emmons, Angie (Alvord) Thorpe, Rachel Roeder, Bryce Larson, Laurie (Yearout) Quigley and Liz (Bishop) Quitiquit.

Hear from WWU senior rower Jessica Smithlin in Episode 11 of Viking Voices. Jessica talks about how she came about joining the rowing program as a walk-on, her ambitions to become a Washington State Patrol trooper and what it is like to row a 2K at the national championships. The Orting native also tells us about her favorite movie and quote, both from a Rocky movie!

Get to know women's basketball senior guard Gracie Castaneda in Episode 10 of Viking Voices. Castaneda is a graduate of Arlington High School and is in her fifth year in the program in 2020/21. Hear from the senior guard talking about her time at WWU, the adventures she loves to take and what it means to be part of the tradition-rich women's basketball program. Gracie's Favorite Quote: "In the end we only regret the chances we do not take."

Tune in to listen to an interview with WWU Athletics Director of Marketing and Special Events Nicole Ebersole. Nicole talks about her role in Viking Athletics, which includes marketing, in-game promotions, community engagement, campus collaboration, manages the marketing intern team and oversees special events including the annual Viking Night fundraiser (to name just a few of her job roles). Enjoy getting to know Nicole as she enters her fourth year in the department!

Hear from the WWU Men's Basketball Head Coach Tony Dominguez as he takes a trip down memory lane with his over 25 years associated with the Viking Basketball program. Tony talks about a wide range of topics, from players moving on to play professionally overseas, to his noon-ball skills and even what positions he played high school football. He of also talks about his coaching mentors - Brad Jackson and Coach Kingsbury - as well as his association with the University of North Carolina Basketball Camps.

Hear from Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Academics Butch Kamena, who has been associated with WWU for over the last 30 years in various capacities. Also a professor on the Western campus in political science and Canadian-American Studies, Butch is a friend to many and passionate about the Vikings, his Sunderland Soccer Team and his family. Enjoy the listen!

Hear from WWU Men's and Women's Golf Coach Luke Bennett as he talks about the pride he takes in coaching at his alma mater, the alumni group that he considers to be some of his best friends and what it was like to play golf under legendary head coach Steve Card. 

Hear from WWU Men's Soccer Head Coach Greg Brisbon as he talks about his 20 years involved with Western Washington University Soccer, including the last seven as the men's head coach. Brisbon was the 2019 GNAC Coach of the Year after leading the Vikings to the conference title and the program's second appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships. Greg talks about all things Viking soccer, his favorite moments as a coach and even a little about his favorite recent books he has read and his favorite soccer team.

Hear from WWU head volleyball coach Diane Flick-Williams, who has led the Vikings since 2000 and will be in her 21st season in 2020-21. Coach Flick-Williams talks about her most memorable moments as WWU's head coach, the impact she feels her team has made off the court and even a little on her background as a player and assistant coach at the University of Washington.

Hear from senior javelin thrower Amanda Short talking about her career as a two-sport collegiate student-athlete, her passion for Kinesiology and a little about her background growing up in Lebanon, Oregon. Amanda will be a "super senior" in 2021 for the Vikings and will be looking to add another All-America certificate to her collection after earning second-team honors with a 10th-place finish at nationals in 2019.

Listen to our latest podcast episode joined by WWU Women's Soccer Head Coach Travis Connell, talking about the program's success, the Harrington Field advantage, some of his favorite all-time games and even a little about his collegiate playing days. 

Listen to a 15-minute podcast interview with WWU head softball coach Sheryl Gilmore, talking about the 2021 recruiting class, the returning players and the culture of the program.