WWU Vikings News

Western Washington University Athletics are starting back up tomorrow. The Vikings’ soccer team kicks things off at 3:30 pm when they face MSU Denver on the road.

The Viks were selected to finish first in the GNAC in the coach’s preseason poll. They went undefeated in conference play last fall before being ousted in the second round of the national tournament.

After that, Western’s volleyball team begins the WWU Invitational at Carver Gym. They’re facing 11th nationally-ranked Cal Poly Pomona at 6:00.

The Vikings’ men’s soccer team caps off the opening day of the season by taking on Chico State on the road. The Viks were picked by coaches to finish second in the conference.

Mariners News

The struggling Mariners are trying to salvage their series in Tampa Bay in Game 3 against the Rays tonight. The Mariners have lost both games of the series after falling 6-5 last night

They went down by two runs early, but Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 51st home run of the season in the fourth inning and Julio Rodriguez and Jorge Polanco each followed with solo shots of their own to put the M’s up. The two teams went back and forth over the next few innings before Seattle found themselves down two with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth.

Mitch Garver scored Polanco on a sacrifice fly, but the next three Mariners couldn’t get on base as the M’s lost their fourth in five games.

Every game counts as the season winds down and Seattle sits three games back from Houston in the division race. George Kirby’s on the mound as the Mariners look to avoid the series sweep against the Rays tonight.

Coverage begins at 3:30 and first pitch is at 4:40 on KPUG.

Seahawks News

The Seahawks will be facing a player with a massive chip on their shoulder this weekend. Seattle’s Week 1 opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, announced today that they’ve promoted wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling to the active roster.

The Seahawks previously signed the 30-year-old over the offseason, but cut him for their final roster in favor of fifth-round rookie Tory Horton. The 2x Super Bowl champ will now slot in as the third receiver on a 49ers offense that is missing two of its top pass-catchers in Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.

The Seahawks kick off their season opener at home against the 49ers on Sunday at 1:05 pm on KPUG.

The NFL season kicks off tomorrow night, when the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host their rival Dallas Cowboys. Coverage begins at 4:00 and kickoff is at 5:20 on KPUG.

Storm News

A Seattle Storm legend is headlining arguably the strongest class of women’s basketball players to enter the Hall of Fame this weekend.

Sue Bird is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore. The three players have 11 Olympic gold medals and 10 WNBA championships between them.

Bird won four titles throughout her 19 seasons with the Storm as the league’s all-time assists leader. She recently became the first WNBA player ever to be honored with a statue by her former team after it was unveiled in front of Climate Pledge arena last month.

In the NBA, Carmela Anthony and Dwight Howard will each be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as well.