A spooky and fun-filled volleyball match will take place at Sam Carver Gymnasium this Halloween, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. Western Washington University's volleyball home match against Western Oregon University will be an event Viking fans won’t want to miss. Children in costume will be allowed in for free and Western students receive free ticketing with student IDs.
A contest filled with prizes will be conducted during the match for costume wearers. First-place winner receive a JBL speaker, second-place will win a $15 gift card to Flatstick Pub in downtown Bellingham and third-place will win a Western bag with Viking-themed goodies.
Gabrielle Ewing, the assistant athletic director of marketing at Western is responsible for the planning of the event, along with many other Western staff members.
“As the director of marketing, a big part of my job is to create fun and engaging events that students, staff, faculty and community members are excited to attend,” Ewing said. Western is putting on a trick-or-treating event in the halls of Carver at 5:30 p.m. It offers a safe and mellow option for Halloween trick-or-treating, avoiding weather restrictions and crowded streets.
“By hosting a trick-or-treat night we are able to provide a safe, family-friendly event for our Bellingham community to enjoy,” Ewing said.
Student and fan participation make home volleyball matches community-oriented. The student section environment is a large part of what brings Western students together at volleyball events.
“We love community events like this that not only help introduce volleyball to fans but also to create a fun energy around our matches. We love hosting our Saturday clinics and hope this will be another event where people come and enjoy an evening watching us play,” Western head coach Diane Flick-Williams said.
The Vikings are looking to beat Western Oregon again after sweeping them in three sets on Oct. 3, 2024.
Western is ranked fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference under third-place University of Alaska Fairbanks. Western has a 7-9 overall record, compared to Fairbanks with a 15-6 record overall.
In their most recent match, Western lost to GNAC leader, Simon Fraser on Oct. 26. The team won one set out of the four of the evening.
“Playing Western Oregon on the 31st is something we’re all looking forward to. They’re a strong team, so it’s going to be a challenging match, but we’re excited to show what we can do and how much we have improved,” said junior defensive specialist Anna VanderYacht.
The Western Athletic Department will be hosting other event nights for the volleyball team coming up soon. On Nov. 2, Western will host a unity game to celebrate its commitment to diversity and inclusivity against Saint Martin’s University. On Nov. 14, Western will face Central Washington University in a rivalry game. Northwestern Nazarene University will play a match against the Vikings on Nov. 14 on alumni night celebrating Western graduate players.
Western cheer stunting at pink-out volleyball match against MSU Billings on Oct. 12, 2024, at Sam Carver Gymnasium, in Bellingham, Wash. Western won all 3 sets in the match. // Photo by Imogene Eagan
The Western band plays at a home game showcasing Viking pride on Sep 21, 2024, at Sam Carver Gymnasium, in Bellingham, Wash. The Vikings home match was against Alaska Fairbanks. // Photo by Imogene Eagan
Jackie Hopkins (she/her) is a Sports and Recreation reporter for The Front. She is a junior studying communications with a minor in public relations journalism. In her free time, she enjoys reading, working out and spending time with her friends. You can reach her at jackiehopkins.thefront@gmail.com.
