MEDIA GUIDE WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY The campus than 100 cultural, academic, recreational, Western’s main campus on the western slope religious, social and political clubs and or- of Sehome Hill has been called a “jewel of ganizations as well as multiple venues for a university.” It offers a magic blend of art the performing arts and extensive opportu- and nature with views of Bellingham Bay nities for community service. and the San Juan Islands to the west and a panoramic vista of the city of Bellingham. Academic programs Some campus locations also offer scenic and degrees President views of Mount Baker and Washington’s Western is organized into a graduate school Karen W. Morse Cascade Range to the east and the Canadian and seven undergraduate colleges: the Col- Cascades to the north. The campus is just lege of Business and Economics, the College minutes by bus from downtown Bellingham of Fine and Performing Arts, Fairhaven Col- The University as well as the city’s historic Fairhaven district, lege, the College of Humanities and Social Western Washington University is a public, and its proximity to both locations also puts Sciences, Huxley College of the Environ- comprehensive university with a national it within easy walking distance. Western’s ment, the College of Sciences and Technol- reputation for academic excellence, dedi- main campus and the adjacent Sehome Hill ogy, and Woodring College of Education. cated to providing the highest quality un- Nature Reserve encompass 216 acres near dergraduate education in the Pacific North- the heart of Bellingham. Counting Lake- west. A Western education offers students wood Recreation Center and Boathouse, the the opportunity to develop active learning Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, skills to last a lifetime and serves them well and the Viqueen Lodge, Western properties in today’s pluralistic, changing and highly occupy 300 acres. technical world. Students While large enough to offer students a range Over 13,000 students call Western home of top quality programs, Western remains during each academic year, starting in late small enough to focus its resources on the September and continuing through June. needs of individual students as they build A third of Western’s students reside in career skills on the sound foundation of the on-campus residence halls. Western offers arts, humanities, sciences and professional something for every student, with more studies. 1 GENERAL INFORMATION WWU ATHLETICS FACILITIES In its ninth year as a full member of NCAA Division II (Sept., Athletic facilities on Western’s campus include Sam Carver 1998), Western Washington University already has made national Gymnasium, a softball field, artificial-surfaced Viking Field, a six- appearances in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s cross coun- lane all-weather rubberized track, and four practice fields. try, women’s soccer women’s rowing, football, men’s and women’s golf, softball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and Carver Gym, completed in 1962, has five basketball courts, including field, and volleyball. a main gym which seats 2,534 spectators. It also has a swimming pool, handball courts, a strength and fitness center, and convertible The Vikings have won an unprecedented three straight NCAA II facilities for volleyball, which includes a SportCourt. National Championships in women’s rowing (2004-06) after plac- ing second nationally in 2002 and 2003. Western reached the na- Football and men’s and women’s soccer games are held at Bellingham’s tional semifinals in both women’s basketball and men’s basketball Civic Stadium, as are major track meets. The stadium, built in 1961, in 2000 and 2001, respectively. with an addition in 1971 and renovated in 2006, has covered seating for 4,000 spectators and lights for night use. A FieldTurf surface was A member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Western installed in 2000. The track is an eight-lane, 400-meter oval. won the league’s first four all-sports championships in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05), and narrowly finished second the Softball contests take place on campus at a facility completed in last two years. 1999. There is seating for 500. Rowing events are held on Lake Whatcom, with the boathouse The Vikings are in their second and final season as a football-only located at Lakewood. Cross country competition is conducted at member of the North Central Conference, one of the country’s Lake Padden Park. Golf matches are held at the Bellingham Golf most prestigious gridiron alignments. In 1996, they reached the and Country Club. NAIA Division II national title game. In women’s basketball, Western ranks among the top 15 in all-time victories among all four-year schools, and has made 10 straight national appearances. The Vikings had the fourth-longest win- ning streak in NCAA II history when they won 57 consecutive league matches in volleyball from 2002-04 and took 38 straight WWU QUICK FACTS victories in women’s soccer from 1982-84. Location .............................. Bellingham, WA 98225 (70,000 pop.) Western won the NAIA National title in softball in 1998 and Founded/Enrollment ..................................................1893/13,100 placed third in volleyball in 1990. In men’s golf, Western has cap- President ...........................................................Dr. Karen W. Morse tured 44 district, conference and regional titles, tying for fourth Vice-President for Student Affairs at the NAIA National Tournament in 1997. and Academic Support Services ...................... Dr. Eileen Coughlin The Vikings’ athletic history dates back over a century. Intercol- Director of Athletics ..............................................Lynda Goodrich legiate competition began in football and basketball in 1903. To- Faculty Athletic Representative ......................... Dr. Brent Carbajal day, nearly 500 student-athletes compete in 16 varsity sports. National Affiliation ............................................. NCAA Division II The 2005 NCAA Report found that 79 percent of Western student- Conference ..............................................Great Northwest Athletic athletes receive their degrees in six years or fewer. That was 28 Home Field ............................... Bellingham’s Civic Stadium/4,000 percentage points higher than the average for student-athletes in the GNAC (51 percent), and 25 points higher than the national Colors ................................ Navy Blue, Slate Blue, Silver and White average for NCAA II schools (54 percent). Nickname ............................................................................. Vikings 2 2007 SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT PLACE TIME Sept. 1 (Sat.) at UC Davis Davis, CA 12 noon Sept. 8 (Sat.) Bye Sept. 15 (Sat.) at Nebraska-Omaha* Omaha, NE 12 noon Sept. 22 (Sat.) NORTH DAKOTA* BELLINGHAM 6 p.m. Sept. 29 (Sat.) at Minnesota-Duluth* Duluth, MN 1 p.m. Oct. 6 (Sat.) ST. CLOUD STATE* BELLINGHAM 1 p.m. Oct. 13 (Sat.) at South Dakota* Vermillion, SD 2 p.m. vs. Central Washington* Oct. 20 (Sat.) SEATTLE 6 p.m. (Battle in Seattle for Cascade Cup at Qwest Field) Oct. 27 (Sat.) WESTERN OREGON BELLINGHAM 1 p.m. Nov. 3 (Sat.) at Augustana* Sioux Falls, SD 12 noon Nov. 10 (Sat.) MINNESOTA STATE, MANKATO* BELLINGHAM 1 p.m. *North Central Conference contest Home matches (ALL CAPS) at Bellingham’s Civic Stadium All games broadcast on KBAI Radio (930 AM) 3 HEAD COACH ROBIN ROSS Definitely on target for his timetable for success, Robin Ross Ross, 52, began his coaching career at Long Beach State Univer- begins his second season as head coach at Western. Last year, sity in 1977. A graduate of Washington State University, where the Vikings finished 5-6, winning their last three games as they he also spent one season as a defensive line coach, Ross was a maintained their focus through a rash of injuries. They tied for second-team all-PAC-8 pick as an offensive lineman. He was a fifth place at 3-5 in their inaugural season in the North Central 10th round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, and Conference, regarded as one of the nation’s strongest NCAA spent one preseason with the Seattle Seahawks. Division II alignments. Ross, the 13th head coach in the 95-year history of Western foot- Ross, who was the defensive coordinator for two of the finest ball, is a graduate of El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, Calif. teams in Western history in the mid-1990s, has three decades of He and wife Jean have been married for 26 years. coaching experience. Ross spent most of that time as an assistant at the NCAA Divi- sion I-A level. He also coached in the National Football League, being the linebackers coach with Oakland for two seasons, helping the Raiders have the ninth-ranked defense in the NFL in 2000, when they were 12-4 and reached the AFC Championship Game. In2005, Ross was linebackers coach at Oregon State University, where the Beavers led the PAC 10 in run defense, allowing 108.0 yards per game. He spent the previous four seasons as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at University of Or- egon. The Ducks won the 2001 PAC 10 championship, finishing second in the ESPN Coaches Poll after defeating Colorado in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl. He was also at Oregon as an assistant during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Ross came to Western in 1994 and in his first season, the Vikings led the NAIA Division II in scoring defense, allowing just 11.5 points a game and five times holding opponents without a touchdown. Western, which posted its first national playoff victory that season with a 21-2 triumph at No.1-ranked Lin- field, ranked third nationally in rushing defense at 76.0 yards a contest and fifth in total defense (260.3) with 42 takeaways (26 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries). In 1995, Western finished 9-1, going 9-0 for the first undefeated regular-season for the school in 57 years and being ranked No.1 nationally in NAIA II for five weeks.