Skagit Valley College volleyball secures first NWAC tournament title

Mount Vernon, Wash. — The Skagit Valley College (SVC) volleyball team won its first Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) tournament championship on Nov. 24, defeating Linn-Benton Community College in five sets. The final scores were 19-25, 26-24, 28-26, 20-25, and 15-11. The tournament was held at Pierce College.   
Linn-Benton entered the championship match with a 34-0 record and had won the past three NWAC titles. This marked the first time Skagit Valley won the NWAC championship in program history.   
The college will be celebrating the championship win with the community on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. in the Knutzen Cardinal Center on its Mount Vernon campus. It is free and open to the public.
“This team earned the first-ever NWAC Volleyball Championship through their hard work, commitment to each other, and fearless approach,” said Mitch Freeman, SVC athletic director. “I am so happy for their accomplishment and proud to witness Coach Amaral's continued success in building a championship volleyball program year after year.”  
In the fifth and deciding set, Skagit Valley led 9-7 before scoring three consecutive points to extend the lead to 12-7. The match concluded with a service error by Linn-Benton, securing the title for Skagit Valley.   
Key contributors for the Cardinals included Sarah Cook, who recorded 20 kills and 20 digs, Tanna Kollen with 16 kills, and Madisyn Butenschoen, who tallied 11 kills and 27 digs. Additional contributions came from Bailey Roggen with 10 kills, Hayden Claeys with 56 assists, Makena Maldonado with 33 digs, and Claire Brennan with 19 digs. Claeys was named the 2024 NWAC North Region Most Valuable Player and was honored as the Baden NWAC Volleyball Player of the Year.  
Head coach Joe Amaral was recognized as the NWAC North Region Coach of the Year, NWAC overall Coach of the Year, and the American Volleyball Coaches Association West Region Two-Year College Coach of the Year, highlighting his leadership during the Cardinals’ historic season. 
“This has been an incredibly memorable season, and it has been a true privilege to coach this exceptional team,” said Amaral. “Throughout the season, we dedicated ourselves to embodying resilience, composure, and mental strength. These qualities proved invaluable, enabling us to stay focused and perform at our best under high-pressure conditions, point by point. We take great pride in achieving a historic milestone—securing the first-ever championship in SVC Volleyball Program history. Go Cards!”  
Linn-Benton had previously defeated Skagit Valley earlier in the season at the North Region Invitational on August 24, winning 25-18, 25-20, 25-22. The Roadrunners also defeated Skagit Valley in the 2021 NWAC championship match.   
This year’s title match was Skagit Valley’s third appearance in program history. The team was runner-up in 2019 and 1987. The Cardinals conclude their 2023 season with a 33-4 record.