Tickets on sale for banquet to honor Men's Basketball national champion Vikings

A banquet to honor the NCAA Division II national champion Western Washington University men’s basketball team takes place Sunday, Apr. 29, at the Best Western Lakeway Inn.

          The reception begins at 4 p.m., the program starts at 5 p.m., with dinner to follow.

          Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased on-line at https://fs22.formsite.com/western/wwuchamps/secure_index.html.

          For those interested, a player’s dinner can be sponsored for $30. A table for 10 plus a Coaches Club membership is available for $1,500 and $2,500 purchases a table, Coaches Club membership and WWU Athletics Name Scholarship. Call 360-650-4314 for more information.

          The Master of Ceremonies will be Doug Lange, program director for KPUG and KBAI Radio and play-by-play broadcaster of WWU basketball.

          There will bephoto presentations and video highlights featuring behind the scenes footage, individual and senior awards.

          WWU won the first national title in the program’s 110-year history on March 24, defeating Montevallo (Ala.), 72-65, at Highland Heights, Kentucky. The game was seen by over three million viewers nationally on CBS.

          The national men’s basketball championship was just the second won at any level by a college in the state of Washington and the first in 36 years.

          The Vikings finished 31-5, the win total being a school record. They won seven of eight games against teams ranked among the top 25 nationally when played, and 16 of their wins were decided by nine or less points, including 10 of their last 15.

          WWU head coach Brad Jackson was named National Association of Basketball Coaches and Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year.